


Chains

by F0rce0fnatur3



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Modern Era, SasuSaku - Freeform, SasuSaku Month 2020, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Top Uchiha Sasuke, Uchiha Itachi-centric
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-03
Updated: 2021-01-07
Packaged: 2021-02-23 04:35:19
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 21
Words: 57,750
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23005834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/F0rce0fnatur3/pseuds/F0rce0fnatur3
Summary: Sakura was just going about her daily life when her world shatters after being taken by two men who were sent to do their jobs and help fill the bank account of the third party they work for. When the job gets botched due to Sakura's intrusion her fate suddenly becomes tied in the hands of the brothers. What do they do with an extra witness? And should they tell their employer about this slip up?
Relationships: Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Itachi, Haruno Sakura/Uchiha Sasuke
Comments: 63
Kudos: 116





	1. The Sting

** C H A I N S **

  
I drag my fingers through my silky pale rose colored hair, green eyes fixed on the cross walk sign waiting for the light to change and the slush of people I’m mobbed into moves. I can feel the slack in my tie holding my bun up threatening to come lose, so I crane my neck so that it is straight and proper without too much motion. A few shorter layers that frame my cheeks have come free already and a bad habit of mine is to twine my hair around my finger while strangers press uncomfortably behind me crowding the corner. I’m urged forward as we move like a swarm of fish across the road to the other side. I can feel someone who’s too inappropriately pressed behind me breathing hot breath on the naked nape of my neck. I can feel him jut against me when I try to gain distance like a pair of flats that is a size too big and the extra space slaps at my heels each step. Finally I surge forward yearning for freedom and to break free from the blobby monster and break through the congestion making my way toward Macy’s.

Everyone steals these moments by emerging from their homes after being cooped up for the hopelessly long winter. Colors finally begin to paint against the sky above the skylines and warm rays of light dips its fingers through the spines of the buildings. Spring is in the air. We all mimic the flowers that are still hidden beneath the flat and muddy colors of the city, we angle our faces to the sun which has been hidden behind a veil of gray like a face behind a paper fan. We want to soak up as much vitamin C as we can and I feel the light burn against my exposed skin. Yesterday when I passed this way the store was still in muted colors reflecting the sludge outside but today it is bursting with pink. I stare in awe at the window display. Flamingo’s the size of the entire span of the window towers on each side of the entrance to the door all adorned and anatomy made up of pink roses! If these are fake, whoever fabricated the material made it look as realistic as possible. Hanging above their crowns are real flowers that dangle in tight tangles and it renews the stores vigor. I imagine the workers tirelessly staying through all hours of the night to prepare the store for spring.

I brush the left strand behind my ear and begin my shameless hunting. It’s been awhile since I binged for myself and after yesterday’s messy blood and stitches night at the hospital I felt I needed to wipe the memory clean with something material. I thumb through the sales rack, I look at the new lines on the outer edges of the store, I even gravitate towards the jewelry. Black pearl earrings. Ino told me once that my complexion was fair, so soft pastels of pinks and whites would best accent me. But I found emeralds didn’t contrast against the hue of my eye color, and soft yellows also seemed to flatter me. What did she know? She was always wearing crop tops that cut off just under the lines that silhouetted her breasts and shorts that clung too tightly to her ass. I assess a bright red sweater that would free my shoulders from its grip and add it to my basket. I swipe my right stray strand behind my ear and inspect a rose gold ring that appeals to my depth of symmetry. The gold is like filigree that curves gracefully in sharp patterns and arches that eventually build up to its center which dawns a black pearl that gleams a soft shade of gray when it hits the light and bleeds to deep black like the depths of a sea. A smatter of diamonds adorn random patterns like stars. Five on the left side of the pearl, three on the right. This will match my earrings.

With a single bag slung around my arm I wander to my usual spot which has become my favorite place to frequent for coffee. I sit at the high table crossing my legs over one another arresting the fabric of my skirt to keep it from coming loose. I pull out the book from my purse and jot down little notes. What no one tells you in medical school is that although yes you are saving lives there are more bad days that outweigh the good one does. It’s getting harder and harder to find the slips of those good moments and the more gore filled ones blot out that and remain in your head like scars. I’ve woken up numerous times in a sheen of sweat and nightmares of the faces I couldn’t save laid there on the table like a cold dead slab of meat as if they’re waiting for me to stitch up the pieces of their broken body. One of my coworkers suggested I start writing down the good. It’s a sparse entry but a little girl came in with a flesh eating virus after she went into lake water with a small open wound no more the size of my pinky’s tip. The bacteria entered that small entry point and within hours she got severely sick and in no more than eight hours later her leg began to blacken. We were able to extract the bacteria and eradicate any other threats. Had she been another hour later, she would have lost her entire leg up to her calf.

The hospital is always filled with patients. Like the cars that pack together outside like flakes of snow, so too are the halls of the hospital. I work endlessly. I’m afraid to admit that I now lean heavily on the assistance of caffeine. Like the officers that are allowed leave after a bad case to get their sanity back together, so too have I put in for two weeks’ vacation. Tsunade insisted I take more but if I don’t do something I only drown in my own thoughts and vanish into naps. She suggested I actually go on a vacation and get out of the city but it felt so odd to picture myself somewhere tropical and warm. Like residents in hotter climates who never get snow for Christmas.

Hinata shoots me a text. I extract the phone from my jacket pocket looking at the small rectangular screen and thumb away all the notifications clogging my feed until finally I get to the message board. She wants me to meet her at her apartment. She’s not too far from where I am, it isn’t a big enough strain to have to hail a cab. With four blocks I’m there buzzing at the front gate. I ride the elevator eleven floors up and walk halfway down the hall before knocking on her door. Quietly and quickly she opens it, her face is flushed, and she has tears rimming in her eyes like diamonds against her black lashes. Her pearl white eyes plead to mine and her brows are knit together. I’m startled. She’s truly upset. Usually she smiles and pretends there’s nothing wrong but after Ino and I finally staged an intervention to get her out of her abusive relationship she had been struggling. She motions me in. Her family has money but after Hinata left our small town and migrated here with Ino and I she had opted for a small apartment in a more down trodden part of the city.

“Sakura, I’m so glad you’re here. Something terrible has happened.” I look at her, my own brow arched in confusion and she’s moved like a ghost effortlessly into the other room. I go to follow but she’s already floated back and produces a note tightly gripped in the confines of her shaking hand. I gently pull the letter from the feed of her palm and look over the document. The note is hand typed and not signed. The content of the letter sends a shiver through my body.

“Someone sent you a threatening letter?”

“D-do you th-think it could be h-him?” Her whole body convulses now and her hands find one another gripping until her knuckles are as pale as the color of her pearl eyes.

“No. Your ex is a jackass but he’s a coward at heart and wouldn’t send something like this.” I take a seat suddenly feeling a dreadful weight in my body threatening to pull me down. “It seems to me the person whose contacting you wants a piece of your fortune.”

“Should I tell father? Oh…he’ll be cross. He’ll want to send the police force and private investigators.” Her voice is a feather against the drumming in my ears. She hasn’t been able to look at me since she retrieved the letter. Gingerly I put my hand against her quaking shoulder offering warmth and softening my voice.

“Hinata, I think you should let your father know about this. It could become serious…”

“No one even knows I’m out here…who…who could…?”

“It’s easy for a woman to be stalked. I hate to admit this to you too and scare you even more but if one wanted to type in your full name the internet isn’t shy about revealing articles about your fathers charity work and that you and your sister are heiresses.”

I watched her shrink into herself. I looked back to the letter.

“I don’t want my family to get hurt.”

“All the more reason to warn them that you and them may be targeted.”

I spent the rest of my visit cooing soft words of encouragement and making her several pots of herbal tea to calm her jittery nerves. When I suggested she speak to detective Naruto about all this she was all too eager to change the subject or dismiss it. I loved Hinata as the dear friend she was to me but, sometimes it was like speaking to a child who was afraid of her own shadow. Children could be difficult and stubborn and no matter what I pitched to her she shot down. Finally I had to threaten to tell my own sources about the letter and that seemed to sap any of her protests. She didn’t want me to get involved and made a promise that first thing in the morning before work she would go to the authorities with her proof and ask for help. It was enough to sate me. The letter gave her a two weeks’ notice to produce the money or transfer it to a secure private fund so I felt a little at ease that perhaps they wouldn’t come to collect her in exchange for that promise.

I lay awake all night feeling guilty about Hinata. It became too hard to leave her alone and when I shot her a text to come back to my place for the time being she politely declined still feigning that she didn’t want me to get hurt in any of this exchange so I fled my apartment taking a cab as if precious moments were slipping from my fingers. Her building was alight and it helped douse a little of my fears but when I reached her front door it was then I noticed there was a splinter in the wood at the hinge. My heart was in my throat as my fingers lightly touched upon the wood of the door and it yawned open. Her apartment was dark and I could hear muffled talking. Maybe Hinata was retiring for the night and speaking to her father but then why would her door be affected by such a thing?

I dared two steps into her room when the creak in the floor threatened to tattle on me if I moved further. I craned my neck trying to peer around the corner to the kitchen. The only light was the clock on her microwave and stove. I inched against the frame of the wall getting closer to the rush of voices. Now I heard the distinction of a male. I strained for a minute to hear Hinata’s reply but nothing came. A shadow moved across the wall in the living room. I went to strain my eyes to look into the stretch of darkness but felt a large hand press my locked lips against my teeth restraining my cries and screams of help. There was a wall of muscle at my back. My arms were pinned at my sides as the other arm snaked around me. My only free limbs were my legs which were easily lead in a dragging motion as the assailant directed us by holding my weight up and guiding us into the bedroom. My eyes widened. Hinata was slung over the shoulder of another male that seemed only a figment in the room. I could hear the venom in the elder male’s words as he hissed to the one man handling me.

“Who the fuck is that?”

“Don’t know. She was lurking at the door. What should we do?” I felt the pinprick of fear radiate up my spine and I began fighting. With little avail he easily coiled his arm flexing his muscles tighter against me. It was hard to take in air. I could see black blotting the corners of my vision.

“She’s seen too much. Get rid of her.”

“This might be the one she was texting.” I felt his hand move from my mouth and I took a sharp breath of air into my lungs but felt the scream vanish inside my throat when the clicking sound and cold round press of steel touched under my jaw. It came out as a startled gasp.

“Don’t you even fucking dare.” My entire body began shaking. His voice was as deep and vicious as the steel under my chin. His arm uncoiled, he transferred the gun to his other hand and the free one plunged into my pockets. I let out a small yelp of surprise trying to shrink myself to get away from his invasive hands but moments later he plucked my phone from my back pocket. I glared blindly at him in the dark and shut my eyes when the shock of the bright screen flashed over my retinas. I blinked back burning tears watching him thumb through the phone then stopped.

“That the one?” The other male ground out through tightly gritted teeth.

“Yep.” Said my assailant with a careless sigh. He slipped the phone somewhere behind me in one of his pockets and then he resumed the hold he had before. The guns position changed to my temple.

“Your call.” The casual exchange made me think these two criminals knew one another on a personal level. Maybe even related? I couldn’t think about that right now. Right now I needed to pine for my survival. I spent my years trying to save lives and to think of becoming just a stain within my legacy and a good front page article that would be looked over by tomorrow’s new stories made my stomach churn.

“I know you two were the ones that sent the letter. I---I’ve already contacted the police about it.” There was a long stretch of silence that curdled the bile in my stomach even more painfully sour. The elder spoke.

“We’re wasting time here. Bag her too. We’ll figure it out once we’re in the clear.” The one behind me didn’t respond. He only moved awkwardly behind me slipping one sleeve of a jacket to him and forcing the other sleeve to my arm. His free hand was hidden between the shared garment and the barrel was now tightly pressed at my back. I swallowed a wet gulp feeling the block roughly glide down my throat.

“Here’s the deal. You scream. You say anything. I shoot you first. Then I shoot all the people you call out too. I don’t care if it’s a kid either. Got me?” I gave a curt nod. “Say it!”

“Yes I understand!” I held the front of my sweater with my free hand trying to steady my nerves.

Given the time of night there was no body that inhabited the entry ways or hallways. The elder had moved Hinata so it looked as though with her arm slung around the back of his neck and him holding her by her waist he looked like a gallant gentleman escorting his drunk girlfriend into a cab. But in the cabs stead was a black Lincoln. She was put in the trunk however…and I was forced to duck into the cabin of the back row of seats that faced one another. The elder took to the wheel. The black divider hid him completely and I was face to face with my captor who freed himself from the jacket. I was too terrified to shrug the rest of it off me. We were moving and I looked to the tinted windows walled around me. I felt small. I felt hopeless. My life was out of my hands. I knew in this moment how my patients felt…

The younger captor was tall, not as tall as the other one but still larger than my short stature. He had long elegant legs that were cloaked in black jeans with faint tan stitching at the seams. He had heavy steel toed boots that somehow he controlled to keep his footfalls as silent as a cats. I saw the gray outlines in his shirt that made up the peaks and mountains of his midsection to his chest. His biceps were bulging from the clad shirts tight hold. The same arms that almost crushed me in two like a toothpick. He slung his forearm on the back of his seat showing the deadly muscle beneath his flesh. I looked away before his eyes could catch hold of mine. Charcoal black and bottomless like a shark’s. He had a long aristocratic nose and his lips were thin but were perfectly shaped so if he smirked they tips of them would be like little arrows that would point to his long cheekbones. His hair was a mop of thick locks and like babies he was cursed with terrible cowlicks that swirled and curved upwards but yet---it made him look distinguished and just fit to his angelic appearance. I crushed my thoughts digging bloody moons into my palms.

Why had he put Hinata in the trunk? It wasn’t like he couldn’t overpower us if she awoke. Perhaps he didn’t want us speaking to each other. I felt my body temperature rise, the arm that was buried in the jacket suddenly burning setting wildfire throughout my other limbs. I shirked it off pulling my feet to the wide expanse of the seat tucking my knees to my chest. He was busying himself with my phone going through it and erasing the contents. I just wanted to sleep. My eyes burned with need but my body was wide awake. All my nerves were firing away with adrenaline. But as the hours went by and my mindless gaze watched the landscape scrape by in blurs I was fading. I hadn’t noticed when I stopped holding my head up and came to attention when my forehead was pressed against the cold glass. I jerked awake but couldn’t fight sleep any longer. Maybe I should just take a minuscule one---it might be my last chance for sleep. My thoughts grew heavier and became scrambled and finally I gave in to the darkness.


	2. Stops

** C H A I N S **

  
When I open my eyes my heart shatters. For a moment before I rouse I’m floating in the haze of my mind, my situation doesn’t come back for a blissful minute. The fabric of the world is slowly pulling itself back together and I see the man that dragged me into this car gawking at me. I discretely slid my fingers against the lining of the seat snagging the sleeve of the jacket he used the night before and pull it over me as a makeshift blanket. I wonder if he even slept?

I doubt he did considering he hasn’t yet figured out what to do with me and what kind of person I am. I could only speculate on this matter of course but that’s what I would first do if I was in his position. That’s how I worked. All my patients reacted differently when coming in. Some were in hysterics, others were runners, most were fighters. I looked at him through my lashes keeping my head down closing my eyes to distract myself from the reality of my situation. He probably wanted to peel back all my layers in order to peg me down in a category he could strategically use to put a plan into motion on how he was going to handle me.

Maybe he wasn’t thinking about me at all. _Hinata…was she awake? Was she crying_? I felt a twinge ripple through the muscle in my heart and my thoughts went out to her. I willed her to be strong. The motion of the car stopped, the engine turned off, and I felt like a trapped animal in a very small box. I had an alarming shrill of fear thrum through my blood. I wanted out. _Where were we?_ It was hard to see in the darkness of the windows and it was worse in the cover of the night. My captor nonchalantly glanced out the window not moving a muscle. I heard the driver’s door slam shut and then the pop of the trunk. My body was urging me to fight. If not for me then for Hinata’s sake. He was going to hurt her. I needed to disable the asshole across from me first. His eyes froze me in place. I was on the edge of my seat, ready to spring. _Spring at what?_ I was inflating a false hope that I could subdue him and get out. I needed to rationalize. I took deep breaths trying to keep them hidden from reaching his ears and I settled back in my seat.

The door opened on the opposite side from me but the elder captor didn’t duck his head into the cab. He didn’t need to address me. It was clear I was not part of this.

“I want her to wake up.”

My ‘sitter’s’ voice boomed in the interior drawing me back from my thoughts. “You’re supposed to give her another dose so she **does** sleep.”

Its clear there’s some sort of calm dynamic between the two. There’s anger in the elder’s voice but it’s reserved and doesn’t threaten to turn to violence. Meanwhile the younger one acts more casual and blasé about the whole thing. Maybe even sparking more annoyance from the elder. But he keeps composure and continues. “The young ladies will need something to eat, drink, and I’m sure have to use the facilities.”

The younger one shrugged casting a glance in my direction. I ripped my gaze from his defiantly jerking my head away so he couldn’t openly stare any more. I don’t want him to see that I’m on the verge of tears. Despite chanting a mental mantra I could feel the walls I put up cracking and threatening to crumble. I was absorbed in keeping my tears stalled. My door opened and the figment from the room was now a solidified form.

This one had an older face but his likeness was startlingly similar akin to the younger ones. _Brothers._ They had to be. There was no way that the man before me could be the young one’s father. Perhaps they had a slim gap in age difference but I had no more doubts that these two who worked as a cohesive team were related somehow. He was slender and lanky in the middle to his hips but as my eyes glide up his body broadens at the chest and his entire arm span could encapsulate from my window to the tip of his on the driver’s side. His hair is neatly tied back by a red band with a fair amount of bangs that wouldn’t collect because of how it was cropped and cut. He had distinct lines under his eyes that almost looked like scars. He was just as lean and muscular as the other one was but had more of a menacing face. His was placid and unreadable. That was terrifying. Those who normally didn’t show emotion were categorized as psychopaths. My thoughts were trying to turn this over to something positive. _At least he offered to feed us and let us relieve ourselves_. I mentally smacked myself over and over until all my ramblings blurred and quieted. Somehow…this man’s voice was deeper and guttural than his twins. It was rougher. But the way he spoke he had an articulate and smooth reach in his tone like crumpled paper that’s been ironed.

“Ms. Haruno. Do you need something to eat?” I think my eyes were wide. I think my expression looked horrified. I didn’t have a mirror to look at but I felt the stretch of skin around my sockets and felt the muscles in my jaw tense. _He knows my name._ I almost let my fingers flutter to the top of my breast to make sure I wasn’t wearing my medical tag. I’m on vacation. I’m in normal clothes. So he knows about me by some other means. _But how_? I was practically with him the whole time. He was driving. _How could he get that information_? Then I thought of a theory. Perhaps as the younger male went through my phone he sent texts to the older one divulging all my information. I rarely used my social media. It was usually posts of forwarded messages or medical articles. I only usually made calls and didn’t have any selfie’s or pictures aside from the things I found interesting. I collapse exhausted by the time I get home so I wasn’t attached to my phone like the women my age were.

“I-I am…” I involuntarily ground my shins together. The elder one shift his eye so discretely I blinked and barely caught its movement on my legs. But of course his subtle glance caught my reflex to the word of using a bathroom. That’s how these men were meant to be built. They were trained to watch for details. They had to be. The exchange the night before told me so. I wasn’t part of this plan. So I was going to be dealt with eventually. But for now he was offering me a life preserver that extended it just a sliver longer. So I took it. He held out his hand.

“Come. You need to use the bathroom too.” My eyes adjusted to the natural darkness which was much lighter than being in the small cage of the car. There were faint buzzes coming from the line of lights leading to the rest stops restrooms. I was taken aback. We were in a public place. Which meant people. Which meant I could escape since there wasn’t a gun at my back or an arm to restrain me. I could scream. I could fly off the handle like a wild crazy woman beating on car windows and there would be no threat to ban me from doing so. But I couldn’t know that for sure. There could be sharp objects in the span of his waistline. A gun tucked in at the small of his back. Or a knife that could be quickly produced by a spring from its sheath. So while the crazed woman inside me screamed pushing all the stress against the inside of my body, outer me, rational me, calmly emerged from the car.

There was a reason he chose this spot. It was secluded and there were no other cars except our own. He gently laid the trunk of his hand against my back guiding me forward. I numbly walked in step with him and entered the foyer. He blocked the only way out and I listened to the rattle of the soda machine and humming of a dim bulb in the vending machine. Only two options and of course I pushed open the female door. There was nothing I could use as a weapon. Strangling by toilet paper was a fool’s errand and the trash can was hardly weighted enough to lay a good blow to the soft spot against his head. If I took too long I had no doubts he’d probably march in here and drag me off the toilet. So I went. I washed my hands. I dried them. I rejoined him in the foyer.

We walked back to the car. My last moments of escape were growing smaller and smaller and I would be forced to sit on my sore bottom in the Lincoln once more. The trunk was open and the youngest blew a puff of gray smoke glancing at us while his spine leaned firmly against the frame of the trunk. I saw a glimpse of Hinata. She was slowly coming to doing the same thing I had been when I awoke. Groggily lifting her head assessing the situation. I risked the next part of my judgement spinning on my heel.

“Listen…I’m a doctor…besides that I’m her friend. She trusts me. Let me stay out here so I can calm her down and go with you when you take her to the restroom. Please…” The elder looks at me then to his twin. Something is silently exchanged between the two then he gives him a nod and then me one. I rounded to the trunk gingerly guiding her hand into mine. “She might panic and scream…” The younger one puckered his cigarette between his lips retrieving the revolver from his waistband. I held up my hand. “That will make her piss herself right here and I think you have enough DNA evidence to damn you.” He hid it at his side.

As predicted she panicked upon waking. She realized she had been stuffed in a trunk like dusty baggage and the severity of being abducted added to her grief. The highway signs were turned away from us. As we walked to the restroom I squint my eyes desperately trying to find signs to get some semblance of where we were.

This time Hinata was allowed to sit with me in the back. She was a tangle of nerves and a ball of tears. I did my best to smooth my hand down her back while the young male scrolled through his phone ignoring the spectacle. I could smell the stale cloying scent of his smoke clinging to his clothes. I wasn’t a health nut that usually came with being a doctor, but I also didn’t care for things that could speed up your life span and cause your body to fail. Not to mention the smell burned my nose. Time stretched by. The divider came down once and a handful of fast food bags were distributed. An array of burgers with cheese and without it. We stuffed our mouths not sure if this would be our last meal for a while. The salt from the fries mingled with my natural bile but the situation I was in was sobering and it soured in my stomach. I begged my stomach to keep the contents down. I added fuel to the fire gulping down the soda that was offered. I lived off that until we would get to our destination.

I imagined a disgusting little shack in the pits of a suburb where boarded windows and shit and piss stained the walls. Maybe we’d be hold up in a crack house that had long been abandoned. I shuttered and winced at the nightmares I created for myself. Hinata used me as a pillow, I barely was able to sleep anyway. I was too busy conjuring all the worse possibilities that were going to happen to us.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my bebes, it is add a chapter to all my works day. Here's the next installment. Stay tuned for commercials after this!


	3. The Walk

** C H A I N S **

  
I was dreaming. But when I awoke and went to open my eyes it was dark. I went to touch my face but found my hands were restrained behind my back. Did one of them prick me with a needle while I slept? Now I was blindfolded and bound and felt an arm guiding me blindly over a rocky terrain. My shoes struggling to keep hold of the earth. Stones bounced away from my scraping unsteady gait and the drumming in my ears was louder than my breathing. I felt like I would slip more than once but all those times I was held steady and pushed to keep going. It felt like a mile walk and a new surface greeted my feet. Up three steps. I heard the creaking of boards. Wood. Then the sound of jingling. Keys. Another creak. Door. Click. Light. Below my blindfold I saw a halo of it while a scrap of carpet winked through the pea sized peephole I had. The older one lift the cloth from my eyes and I took a minute to blink away the brightness and blurry edges of my vision.

My first thoughts were for Hinata. The youngest once had he thrown unconscious over his shoulder, she was probably drugged again. I gathered perhaps she had awoken and panicked or they had administered a drug into our system as we slept on the way. But I didn’t feel the after effects of any drug that was meant to subdue ones muscles. My limbs weren’t heavy, my head foggy, and I certainly didn’t have a hard time coming back to myself. One of them had delicately fastened my hands and tied off the cloth around my eyes. Perhaps it was the younger one who could glide room to room silently with those heavy boots of his. I could imagine those secretive willowy fingers managing the capability to tie silent and swift sailor knots.

Up the stairs in a strange house. Down a carpeted hall with gold walls. Through a door. And a snip to my bindings, a lock of the door, and the receding sounds of his footsteps and I was left by myself for the first time in days.

The room was quaint. It wasn’t filthy or a crack house. This house was tended to. Perhaps a safe house the pair could duck down in when going about their business. I barely had to wipe away the dust from the window. I didn’t have a view to the front of the house, whichever angle I was exposed to is trapped by the huddle of thick brush and trees. We were somewhere in the wilderness. This was a foreign animal to me. Something I rarely dealt with. I was a city dweller. Put a doctor whose only swam within a sea of people, in the middle of an actual ocean, she may just drown. I laughed bitterly to myself. _No_. No sense in going mad just yet. I wasn’t equipped to know how to survive in the forest. I wasn’t ignorant of the dangers that lurked through the rib of the trees at the heart of the dark wood. I could run. But what if there was no civilization for miles and miles? I would starve or be food for another animal. Sensible thing was to hold my ground here.

There were copious incidences where I had to be present when the police swooped in for rape cases to make sure they handled my patients with sensitive prodding’s. Always they would go too far and press the still raw shock and my patients would lash out or shut down. The framework of their questioning was quite similar. Like us medics, who follow our own silent knowing and speak in our practices language that outsiders had no clue as to what it was we were relaying to one another, so too had they. The police and detectives has a rapport that involved getting to the facts. So here was what I could ascertain from those conversing’s: details matter. So I took inventory.

_Okay Sakura. This is just like taking stock of the medicine that’s left in the “chill room”._

Victorian style home given the shape of the windows, but altered obviously to ban ones escape. The drill holes to the bars outside the panes seem to be newly drilled. Faded paint by the natural sunlight, has thick coats of cranberry red. The archways that hold the room up also support my theory that the house is Victorian. They give sharp angles and the higher walls that open the space up too are a dead giveaway. There’s been minor touches of repair that’s been done over the years. Such as the faint scratch marks in the far corner of the wall by the door have been layered with thick swatches of newer cranberry but fail to evenly conceal the indents someone’s nails made. I shudder at the thought. Someone was here---someone who probably was in my situation and wanted to get out. How long did this stranger that I sympathized with reside confined in these quarters? I hug my own frame a little tighter subtracting into myself. _Keep going._

Mattress---they have serial numbers that can be tracked. If I could rip the tag off then if I got out of here I could give it to the police so they could catch these rat bastards. I made careful work fitting my fingers under the folds looking over every inch of the rectangular plush block and found nothing. Just the very sharp precision of a knife or scalpel that left a stunted torn edge where the tag was sewn in. Clever. I had a working bathroom and sink so at least if I got thirsty I could cup my hands under the tap and use them as a makeshift cup. I could also relieve myself and shed the thin sheen of mud and sweat on my skin. I look in each crevice for a camera. I test it by shutting the lights off looking for a blinking red light. They could be the size of a fly and hidden or shaped into virtually any spot. But I was hoping due to the lack of my findings that I was entrusted with my privacy.

I had avoided looking in the mirror long enough. Yet---even as I steeled myself I knew that the woman who would look back at me would be---this vulnerable pathetic thing that two men caught by chance. Had I been more careful in Hinata’s apartment we could’ve avoided this whole travesty. I knew this feeling well. Travesty. I had viewed it so many times in my patients, now here it was presenting itself to me. It was easy to give encouraging words to them when I wasn’t wracked with it…but this sensation was bridling and sickening. No one was here to urge it away with contact. No generously warm hand upon my back, no hands reaching to get me back on my feet, and no soft soothing words that would get me through to tomorrow. I felt like a pile of garbage. A heaping lump of helplessness. I was not part of the plan. I had to keep reminding myself of this solely because my fate with the two brothers was still undecided.

Hinata---I had to trust that there was a grander plan for her than to be tortured or harmed. After all they went to the trouble of making sure she got here after all and didn’t threaten to mame her. So assuming my hypothesis is correct, she should remain untouched until these two assholes achieve whatever their real target is. It was obvious they wanted to tap into Hinata’s family fortune and who could blame them? She was after all a vulnerable target living on her own and her family had a vast expanse of relatives but they were protected by hired hands. I had been to many gala’s and charity events where I witnessed the crazy spectacle that was performed when they made their introductions when mingling.

Despite the sleep I got, there was still a heavy weight in my bones. It wouldn’t be productive just to pace about waiting for them to come through the door, they might not even reenter the room today. So I did what I felt was logical and tried coming back to civilization by bathing until all the knots in my muscles smoothed out, and my inner center was aligned. As I lumber to the bed and collapse on the dusty topping of the comforter I imagine all the ways this could’ve been prevented. Somewhere in my tumble of thoughts I fell asleep and by the time the faint buzzing and humming in my head came back to me the sun was rising just outside my window. So I was on the east side of the house.

I thumbed through the stocked closet sniffing at a few articles noting they looked worn and already used. I refused to wear garbs that were in the service of others before me. The cloying scent of softener and detergent was fresh enough to note that the clothes were washed and dried but the stench of fear and sweat within them couldn’t be so easily masked. The sharp click of the lock turning against my dubbed door drew my attention away from the closet. My nerves were already rattled but seeing that smug face of the younger brother somehow managed to renew the stinging irritation that tug on the nerve endings. Within the spans of his fingers the tips held up a tray as he worked the door with his free hand. 

There was a primitive grunt that came from the permanent scowl of his lips. This man seemed to only speak in the Neanderthal language and used the edge of his lips often to narrate his sharp canines that lay at the curve of his mouth to express his irritation. It was me who should exude those feelings, not him. If I was so inconvenient then he should dispose of me instead of acting like I was a stain on his clothing.

“You’re awake early.” I got the feeling even if I did answer him that would be as far as the conversation went. It was more a statement to regard me with the distain he felt while carrying out his chore. God forbid I needed to eat. I made sure to keep my distance while he set the platter on the nightstand. The contents made my stomach curl with a new fury of hunger since the fast food feast a day ago. Proper nourishment glistened in the yoke of the sunny side egg, and within the crumbling wheat of the toast still crackling with melted butter and heat, and of course the rich scent of bubbling fat on the bacon hit the small pit where my hunger always clawed. My stomach giving a defiant growl of need. I felt my lips dryly pucker wanting to wrap around the glass of orange juice sloshing around with ice cubes beneath its pulpy surface. His dusky eyes lingered on the open door to the bathroom. Moisture still clung to the walls sweating against the warmth the room provided. There was a faint perfume of jasmine that I used to scrub over my body until the soothing scent lulled me to sleep.

“Next time turn the vent on. And---you should change into something else.”

“I like my clothes just fine thank you very much.” I turned away from the incompetent ape turning my nose up at him. Moments later the door closed and the lock fastened back in its place banishing me back in my room alone. I got to work deleting the contents on my plate reveling in the tended care whoever cooked this had made. The effort of the fluffy white of my egg, the melted butter that didn’t cling in a cold spread which usually was raked with the outlining teeth of the knife, and the bacon which edges were deliciously brown and crisp.

People need contact. This law is absolute. It doesn’t have to be physical, it can be a simple exchange of conversation, or just lingering in a room, but we need it. That was one of the reasons why most terrible people were cut off from it. Why people went insane and were pushed into padded cells. Why it was one of the cruelest forms of punishment. Isolation leaves you alone to your thoughts and despite studies and tests the darkest corner of your mind will eventually claw their way to the front of one’s mind. I was stuck on a spin cycle that was ruthlessly tumbling me around. It was a week since my confinement and only the youngest came in to swap out the trays and replace it with platefuls of breakfast, lunch, and dinner. He didn’t linger, he didn’t speak, he only cast me dubious stares and took his leave not bothering to tell me when he was supposed to snuff me out.

The days had begun to blur together and I lost track of which day of the week it had been. I was becoming numb. I was slowly going insane! Finally on the tenth day I shed my pride and initiated the first move to have contact. I was so bold as to snag my fingers on his sleeve. Half out of my mind I realized what I had done and was trying to rationalize why I even bothered to do that. Maybe Hinata was stronger mentally than I was being but---I just needed something, even if it was a scrap to use!

My eyes danced up the sleeve of his arm. I met his eyes and saw the irritation on his face. A sculpted brow was raised, and those damned lips were threatening to curl into a snarl. Did I really lower myself to the dredges just to talk with a man that couldn’t be bothered with me? A man that touched every fiber of my being infusing it with pure hate that I had stooped so low as to want his attention? Nothing could mask my own self-loathing not even this creep could eclipse it. My fingers twitched in the folds of his sleeve and my throat felt parched. The words were bogged down in my larynx thanks to me not using my voice for a full week. What should I do? I felt a bead of sweat form against my temple and I couldn’t look him in the eye. Only the floor beneath our forearms.

“What?” He grated dryly. There was nothing I could do to right the situation I put myself in. More than anything I wanted to crawl under the bed and wither away into a dried husk. The seconds I wasted stretched into an uncomfortable length and finally I got my guts to force the words free from its dam.

“Stay.” _Stay?_ Really? Where did that submerged word even rise from? What depths did it drag its miserable belly from? Now the gap in this bitter floundering display was even more degrading than before. I expected him to complete his ensemble with that signature scowl of his but I saw something flash through his eyes. Pity? Now I reared back disgusted. I didn’t want his pity nor did I need it. How dare he lecture me in the ways of loneliness with nothing more than a speculative passing glance. I dropped his sleeve sitting back on the bed dreading the time I would hold by myself in but a few more brief moments. Self-torture would be easy and natural. I was a weak whimpering little girl once begging my father not to go out the door for work and felt a fire barrel through me when I was in school. I crawled to get my degree and pushed through the pain and insomnia that came with drowning in papers and essays. I remember the crude bunching nerves of my fingers when I pushed passed the pain to get the last lines of my chemistry homework done. That was far easier than stomaching what I had done now.

I was a doctor. I stomached all sorts of laserations, gaping wounds, gashes, plugs peppered and embedded in the skin, and nothing was more strenuous than my will that had slipped away from me in a momentary lapse of weakness and clouded my judgement. All for what? A few seconds of this scums time?

“You wanna stretch your legs?” He banned eye contact. His eyes sweeping off of me and to the corner of the room. His words crucified me in sharp nails that impaled my conceit. I could feel the terrible twitching aching in my palm to slap that smug expression off his face. But the physical pain in my joints that had grown lax with its new confinement itched to get outside. To take in fresh air, to walk outside of the small square of the room. I refused to acknowledge him further with words so I only nodded but he motioned towards the door. Maybe he was screwing with me. Maybe if he was this slack with letting me freely go out into the hall, at some point he had stopped locking the door. But I heard the deadbolt on the outside turn in place. I suppose I never truly tried the handle, but my depression would only deepen if my theory was true. I got to my wobbly legs, the weight of the used garments subjected me to yielding to the clothing provided for me. Were the past occupants allowed to roam outside?

There was a path where the brush had been cut and shaved away causing a bald strip in the dirt leading through the winding trees. My hands had been bound behind my back and my lead was held four inches away from me in the younger one’s tightly gripped hold. I hated the fact I was the one who was meant to lead and he had a good advantage watching me. There was a nakedness in being vulnerable like this. True, I should feel some semblance of power being the one to lead the way but it becomes stripped by the weight of bondage and the foreboding feeling that he can eye me as much as he pleases without my knowledge.

I distracted myself by taking in the sights. The soft glow of orange and yellow fanned its fingers warmly over my cheeks and brow. The saturated earthy smell graced my senses but the slack mud under the structure of my sneaker squelched each step threatening to swallow my foot ankle deep. I stuck to the drier patches already hardened from the burning afternoon sunlight. Fauna laid lazily in the darker curtains of the forest. Squirrels and small chippers skittered across our path more than once and the toe of my boot rolled over the hard shells of fallen acorns that were usual for this time of season. I may be ignorant to the way of surviving the bowels of the woods but I was observant when it came to the change of seasons. Summer liked to shake off its adornments like acorns, pinecones, needles, branches, and other things to let its skin be closer to the surface of the sun to soak up and store vitamin c for the winter that would follow the sparse brief flicker of summer.

The soles of my shoes were slippery and caked in mud, I felt the wet cold contents of the mud pied earth squish uncomfortably between the jam of my toes. My feet were wet and yearning for a warm shower. The traction no longer connected to the solid ground and I was slipping up more than usual. I felt gravity yanking me to the ground and I knew I was about to eat dirt. I cried out but it was wrung out of me when his arm wrapped around my stomach. My thought was minute but it was a small tell he exposed in that action. It meant maybe I wasn’t going to be totally disposable. Then again this could be a hike to my death.


	4. Pushing Boundaries

** C H A I N S **

  
There seemed to be a stalemate with the Hyuga’s and there transferring of money. Unless this was the brothers method and means of a scare tactic. We were here for at least a month, which was a dead giveaway thanks due to my monthly visitor informing me so. During that time I made sure to seclude myself by holing up in my room denying myself the joy of going for the little ritualistic walks that were slowly becoming a silent routine with the youngest and I. I gathered they dealt with this type of ‘issue’ before because the cabinet below the sink in the bathroom was stocked with feminine hygiene products. As grateful as I was it was a private thing I wished to drag out at home in bed with the Tylenol grinding between my teeth until it was chalky and the grains slid down my throat.

When the spell was over I returned to wanting those little walks again and without questioning me or hassling me with resistance to my keen interest again, we fit back into our normal routine. After breakfast on cue he retrieved the dish set the plate on the counter top, told me to turn around, bound my wrists, and I lead. I explored a few different paths but if I strayed to one he didn’t approve of he would give a good yank to stall my steps and I would resume the straight and narrow path forward.

Our captors seemed a bit more relaxed with our good behavior and allowed us to be present at the dinner table, with beautiful bracelets of course. It was the first time I saw HInata since our separation. I wasn’t sure where they put her but it seemed given her lack of bruising or ligature marks around her ankles and wrists she had a room just as comfortable as mine. During these feats we would eat silently while the brothers conversed in a language I could only speculate was Russian. Handy to know. Maybe they were from there. I’d crossed plenty of them in the ER and they were a tough breed. They had sharp features, harsh voices, and even their mannerisms were rough. But then there were glimpses where certain angles of their face reminded me of traditional Japanese men. Especially with the long hair. Most Russians sported long and proud beards, both were clean shaven, but the elder one’s hair reminded me of a samurai the way it was pulled back and tucked neatly into its red band.

When one faced adversity it helped to think of little things to keep yourself sane and grounded to pass the time while in captivity. Such as, I found out the elder’s name was Itachi. The younger one Sasuke. They indeed were brothers. Itachi was also an excellent cook. He prepared almost every dish we’ve consumed and I hated to admit it but the flavors were always bold and brilliant when they hit my tongue. Tonight was rubbed steak, I had cracked my window to let the warm breeze roll in and caught the pungent plume of smoke blowing on the wind. I’d never known anyone who used smokers for their food but I had certainly tasted the food and it was unlike anything I’d ever eaten. I could smell the Apple wood chips baking deliciously into the meat and the charred edges sang to me in the flavor of charcoal. The meat was tender, the juices running, and the seasoning elevated it to a higher level. This was what gourmets would call otherworldly. He had a talent. But why on earth would he waste all that preparation for two captives? It felt too tedious. Like we were consuming our last meal. I heard the little peak of delight in the squeak of her note as she too noticed the unfurling flavors. Not even the banquets we attended had this rich of a taste.

She shot me a withered ghostly glance which I took for apprehension. Even the language was intimidating. I gave her a fainthearted smile that barely registered within her eyes as she darted her gaze away as skittishly as a shadow. I severed the gristle pushing it to the corner of my plate before finally bubbling over in annoyance. They could be talking about us in a lewd manner for all we knew.

“Hinata are you alright?” Her alabaster pearls where as wide as saucers as she caught my expression. I kept my head held high and somehow worked my magic to disrupt the gruff exchanging of words. I had all six sets of eyes fixed on me. Normally I would shrink under the pressure but I’ve been pressed through worse. I was actually grateful I wasn’t looking at her through the lens of my surgical glasses. “Well?” I urged her. There was no protests from either twinning lips. At least not yet. She shook her head. I nodded gingerly encouraging her.

“I-I’m alright…and y-you?” I saw the sheen of her skin glisten in a thin layer of sweat on her brow as she stole a glance to the males watching the spectacle. I knew she’d rather distract herself and scarf down the rest of her meal to go back to being a shut-in.

“Well. You should come for a walk with me.” It sounded like nonchalant chatter but I was pressing my boundary to see how far I could get away with something. I felt the restraint of my cuff on my wrist as I put down my utensils and folded my hands upon my lap. Another hesitant gaze to the pair and then back to me.

“That can be arranged.” Itachi spoke in a light tone, as lightly as a monster could respond without sounding menacing, but I could tell the request would be a trial. I could visualize the period at the end of his sentence. The words closing and not allowing any further debate or question. Sasuke looked at his brother with a mirrored placid expression. But I knew like before when I reached out to grab his sleeve the unspoken words didn’t surface to the features of their expressions, but rather through their eyes. Another thing detectives used when dealing with the tools of tactics. Minuscule movements are hidden to the untrained eye naked enough to let the gestures pass unseen. But I saw the very slight arch of his sculpted black raven feathered brow and a shooting star invisibly arch across the sphere of his shark eyes. This exchange took seconds but to me I analyzed every little movement I could. Itachi simply lent his brother a small clue in his furrowed brows and dismissed anything more with a sharp and quick shake of his head.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovelies! So this chapter is short but I plan to make up for that in the next one ^^ As well as starting to get into the rabbit hole of things. Please comment and bookmark if you like it thank you!


	5. The Plan

**C H A I N S**  


A month and two weeks went by. Judging by Hinata’s body language as she marched through the trimmed path keeping a larger gait two feet in front of me. She was agitated, I knew better than to open my mouth and interrogate our captors. From what I had gathered they truly were true to their word of not harming either one of us, yet, in the back of my mind doubt still lingered. As a toddler I can recall testing my boundaries on my parents and pushing to see how far I could get away with things, not that same familiar itch crept across my body. I couldn’t help it. This was a foreign exchange for me. One no test or studying could better aid my understanding of the etiquette and what it is I should do. For now I was only able to be present. To adapt to the confrontation forced on me and come up with the best solutions. I was thrust into a game where I was devoid of an inkling on the rules.

Perhaps I was underestimating Hinata. I had been acting as though she were a fragile flower too delicate to keep her head in this type of situation, then again, she always surprised me so perhaps she was better suited for something like this and I was the weak link. But I wasn’t going to go down without a fight. Without using my one chance to take and use before certain ‘doom’ or ‘punishments’ would be imparted onto me. I’ve formulated this a thousand times in my head but the tricky part would be to execute it. I wanted HInata’s involvement to be as nonexistent as possible. If I was going to attempt to escape in order to get us help, I didn’t want her to have the brunt of the punishment either. The best possible scenarios I could think of that would give me at least a few more precious drops of time was to use her. Even speaking to her was impossible for now. We were monitored closely when we ate and when we were on our walks and we weren’t allowed to even socialize when we were together.

I had to figure out a logical way to get a message to her, somehow tell her that I had a plan in the works and to hang on just a little longer---not for her, but for my cowardly self to get the guts to carry out the proper plans. Thinking about scenarios and actually doing them are two different creatures. And my mind was constantly yelling at me to find my backbone and do something. Not to be an impassive observer outside my own body. I snapped out of my thoughts when she grabbed my hand giving a gentle squeeze to draw my attention to her worried smile. Could we develop a silent code? That would be far too complex and take too much time. She let go a second later and I adjusted my furrowed brows to a normal non inquisitive expression. I can hear our captor walking three feet behind in a heavy but gracefully long stride which would be no match for my shorter stature should I choose to outrun him. Once again, this would require Hinata stalling for as much time as she could so I could get a needed head start.

We nonchalantly spoke about the weather and things we observed upon our walk at the dinner table that night. I noted that the two men were becoming gradually relaxed whenever we directed our comments towards things like this and therefore felt comfortable enough to carry on conversations of their own. This too was progress, slow, but still something we didn’t have three weeks before where we were observed in all mannerisms and topics. I doubt Hinata knew Morse code but I attempted it none-the-less. I started by concealing my hand beside my plate, careful enough to make sure the shackle around my wrist didn’t drag against the wooden tabletop to give me away, then silently and slowly so I didn’t attract attention through my movements, began to air tap against the table.

This was meant purely for her. She could see by my nervous gazing to the brothers that I was trying to tell her something, something that wasn’t just a random occurrence of me being fidgety. She too understood and dared a nervous glance to them without turning her head and then nodded very subtly. And so I delivered my message. All with a brow beaded with sweat, and my adrenaline spiked due to the fact that with a simple sweep of either set of eyes I would be caught. I broke down my message into simpler syntax and just when I noticed the motion of one of the heads turning this way made a grab for my glass of water and Hinata naturally resumed eating after having pretended to drivel on aloud about our day.

As I lay in bed on the flat of my back and hands folded over my stomach I naturally fall into thinking about the embarrassment of asking the younger brother to stay. After mentally berating myself and outwardly cringing at my actions I move onto the questionable phase which will be followed by planning my plot and then sleep. I knew Hinata’s father was powerful and therefore would want to quickly pay to get his daughter back and yet---we were here far too long. Longer than anticipated. The men had explained about being a sort of third party. Did something happen where the men who were behind this messed up and it was just taking awhile longer to correct? Or was there a possibility that---no! Hinata’s family would never turn their back on her. But then I think about Neji. He’s head of the corporation despite Hinata being Hiashi’s own daughter, Neji was male and unfortunately female. Another thing that bothered me…Hinata was more than capable of heading the company but was overlooked thanks to Neji surpassing her in business school and getting a law degree. He tossed a few good ideas to Hiashi and then a few years later sphere headed the organization raking in millions thanks to his contributions in projects while Hinata’s had the same potential. My fingers knot against one another as the thought draws me deeper into despair for her. I know they’d want her back, but if there’s a tactical proposition opposing the success of the transaction it would be Neji. He’s about number and strategy, not empathy, and sympathy. I imagine him trying to get these guys in a more permanent solution involving the law and its judicial system, and yet---that’d be such a slow process for one needed evidence and the brothers had been careful, not to mention I didn’t know the persons identity of who was actually orchestrating all this….

Before the thoughts have a chance to ensnare and enrage me I move onto my plan. Its easy to simulate it. If I wanted, I could imagine myself pulling guns out of the trees and holding the brothers at bay or just smashing through the wall and flying away with Hinata on my back to the police. But this needed to be framed delicately. I needed to prepare for all types of situations and this included the possibility of me actually achieving it with that one percent. So I stitch every detail into my head, I patch it together, I think of all the repercussions that will occur, and then when my stomach unknots itself I fade to black.

I use the next two days to inform Hinata what my plans are and a few times I actually think she’s going to betray me by opening her mouth and telling the brothers I’m planning to run away. But then I realize she’s taking it all in. Absorbing and worrying. She wants to dissuade me but I have to try. She isn’t expendable. I urge a smile and a small nod before I take a generous sip of coffee that was poured for us out of the graciousness of our elder hosts heart. The one called Itachi seems more empathetic. Perhaps I could play on that should I get dragged back. But more than likely if this is about tactics, he’ll leave the dirty work to his younger brother and I won’t see the light of day again. I feel my nerves fraying. I grip the ceramic mug and look into the muddy surface before drowning my reflection with grains of sugar.

I think about Neji again and I curse his name. If this isn’t his fault and if I live, I will personally apologize for thinking badly of him. But for now its nice to have a crutch and put all my problems on one person. Ill repent later. As I awake the next morning I can feel the electricity in the air. Its intermingled with the adrenaline pipelining through my blood. I can feel the race of my heart like a hummingbird trying to escape from the cage of my ribs. I practically jump like a cat being sprayed with a bucket of water when the youngest opens the door and summons me to breakfast. If I am to successfully carry this plan out I need to act nonsuspicious. I need to carry out my normal routines. I payed attention to the weather the night before, I stayed up just to make sure I could factor it into the plot.

I steal a glance to one of the windows and notice there’s still dew fresh from this mornings shower and observe the shape and color of the clouds. Some look ready to burst as they float with bloated gray bellies closer to the back portion of the house. I hope it stays away from cold currents that could burst it open. I take my seat at the table and feel the younger one test the limits of my restraints. I can’t eat too much. Toast will be good fuel for my body, as well as the egg and water. Orange juice, maybe a little sip of sugar. No coffee. Not today. It will dilute my blood and my energy will run out quicker. I never touch the greasy home fries. I need all my capillaries to be clear and strong.

There is no going back. My body is vibrating with the ready push I’ll command it once I gather up my courage. I can tell Hinata is deeply concerned about me as well. She keeps looking at me nervously while the little diamond in her eyes twinkles and quakes. She knows the plan. We’ve gone over it for two days. She’s silently agreed to do it. The ground is a little damp so I’ll need to be careful to avoiding puddles and mud that can make one slide as easily as black ice. Today had to be the day, the elder brother has gone for a grocery run. During our first encounter I knew how rough and strong the younger one would be, but I still needed to bank on Hinata holding him off while he detains her before coming after me. He won’t have time to call for his brother to turn around and by the time he does he’ll have lost track of me.

I can see her shoulders shaking. The youngest speaks, his baritone voice grates against my skin. He’s asking her if she’s cold which of course she has to reply she is, despite it being a bit muggy out. He begins to remove his jacket. How chivalrous. I can’t insult him right now, I need to focus. While he’s distracted in this moment I can take advantage and run. My heart bounds into my throat, I can feel the heat pool to the muscles in the back of my legs as though I’ve already done an endurance exercise, they burn, my breath gets shorter and shorter, my pupils dilate, I look to Hinata and she knows. She sees the signal. I position my hands like a runner, I extend my back foot, and in that instant she wraps her arms around the youngest assailant’s waist trapping him in an awkward position after trying to peel off his jacket for her. He only has one good free hand and he looks stunned. I can’t continue to watch this unfold I need to run and I do.

As I sprint I can feel the muscles and bone in my legs connect with the hard impact of the ground. I feel it thrum through my body urging me faster and faster. I’ve accounted for all this. Their voices were muffled but now come back in a daunting clear almost overbearing yell. He’s angry, with her and me as I gain ground. I can hear he’s trying to pry her off him and drag her back to the house. I can hear his clumsy movements. And then I focus on myself. I prepared for this, I did. But what I did not prepare for was the actual nature of things. A bramble of thorns momentarily stops me as it bites into my flesh and hooks into my skin. I cry out and pull. I can see the holes in my shirt as I flee. I encounter thick brush that scrapes at me, branches blinding me as they smack into my eyes and beat against the bridge of my nose.

The pain hurts but I need to keep going. I need to get help for not just me but for Hinata. Do this for her. I urge myself by restating my mantra and sprinting the best I could like a clumsy fawn over downed branches, vaulting over roots and broken trees spiking up from the earth threatening to impale me. I can hear wildlife scatter as I run madly through the wood. It had been so long since I was in an actual forest but how could I forget all these obstacles? I thrived in the city, I knew there was the possibility of me failing in the country and I had factored that into my scenarios but I didn’t grasp the severity of the reality I was facing now. I knew nothing about running off trail. Especially in the woods. I was ignorant to the fact that everything is trying to drag you down, unless once walked. But I needed to run, and blindly might I add, and so I continued to get assaulted by low hanging limbs, terrified I might put a hole in my body should I gravely misstep and impale myself on cracked timber.

The world began blending into this singular muffling noise. At first I could hear and understand the cicadas singing in the trees but then it eclipsed with the song of the birds and the crunch of the leaves beneath my feet intermingling with the slosh from my shoes, and then there was deafening silence. All I could hear was my heavy breathing. My skin was burning where the thorns tore at my skin leaving nasty bites that stung. I felt the ache in my legs like someone had put weights around my ankles. This was not flat concrete. This was uneven terrain filled with uneven slopes and hills. Due to this, I was slowing just to avoid them.

It felt like hours. I thought I was going to puke, collapse, and cry all in the same breath but my body was still propelling forward and I was getting used to merely watching my feet in order to dodge things. So when I looked up and I heard the rush of cars I knew I was near a highway and I thought I could fly. I came to a field. Not flat land, but still better than the terrain of the woods, no branches ready to claw at your eyes and face while running, no protruding obstacles. I raced towards that sound. I used it as my guiding star. And then briefly I saw the shimmering flash of red like the scales of a fish in clear water zip by through the brush just ahead of me and I ran toward it. The road was active so I wouldn’t have to wait long to catch another one, and I stumbled. My body was overexerted and exhausted and yet I poured everything I had left into those last few feet before I reached the road. The flat slab of concrete jostled the bone against muscle in my calves and I had never been so happy to be literally out of the woods before. As I stay doubled over to catch my breath I can hear the echoing of a car coming up over the hill. It would be in view any minute now. And there like the grace of Kami-sama my savior rode in a yellow convertible and black top. Here he or she was blessedly ignoring the speed limit and doing over sixty taking up the slope of the road in a matter of minutes and within a few more seconds would be here and see me waving frantically to him to stop. And then I saw the outline of the person and I had hope. Especially when they started to slow down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And now we get into the boiling water. Please like and leave a comment if you enjoyed ^^


	6. Left Behind

** C H A I N S **

  
I etch my fingers into the sliver of wood where door meets frame letting the white crescents bite into the mouth searching for weakness. I was no fool, I knew I’d need something stronger to force it open. But since being here I’ve tried to devise a plot to pry it loose. But no matter the amount of time I put into finding something to use for defense or a tool I am yielded due to the careful fortitude and planning of being shut in this room. I was thwarted when I saw the shower in my side room had no rod for the curtain, instead I was greeted to a glass sliding door. I tried the windows but even then all the frames were sturdy and none splintered. The closet lay bare, not a trace of a hanging rod or hangers. No removable shelves to pull from the teeth of their nails, and even then, not even those are supplied. Everything was tight, shipshape, no mistakes. I gathered these men were professionals. They’d have to be when going against the head of the Hyuga family and resources.

I had seven articles of clothing, one set to wear for each day of the week, then it was washed, and redistributed where I ritualistically place them neatly folded into it and close it silently. I find myself in meditative thought or prayer sending my thoughts to the universe like ships in a bottle floating on the tide against all odds hoping that one message of hope will reach my father. I must hope, for if I do I fear my soul will turn back into a timid child and I will hide away into myself. I have grown from the adolescent I once was and vowed to never cower again. However, seeing Sakura disappear into the thick of the woods, being swallowed up by the blinding haze of midday I couldn’t help but revert into terrible ways. I paced, I chewed on my nails, I performed every ritual I knew as a child to see her safely away. I wished on stars that would not be visible until another four hours, I made those wishes to the planes that floated in the bloated belly of the blue sky breaching after the wake of the clouds. The longer she stayed far away from here the more confident I was that she could make it.

I was thrown into the room with no time to catch my breath before he securely locked it. I listened to the resounding heavy footfall of his boots as he fled to catch Sakura and I hoped upon hope that I had given her enough time to at least find a suitable path to tread. I had been ill in the two hours I was alone to myself. The bile roiled and struck to flame when I heard the gravel crunch beneath tires. I knew the elder male was back. Since the absence of his partner would be apparent I would be left to answer questions, I would bear the brunt of his wrath. It was a small measure of sacrifice I could do for Sakura on my part.

As expected I could hear the heavy trodden footsteps of the elder drawing nearer. I would not allow the situation to escalate out of control. I would rely on my pedigree and upbringing to keep the conversation steady and flowing. I fold my hands over my lap taking a seat upon the wicker chair to face the elder when he would come in. He seemed the more sensible of the odd duo and therefore I hoped I could rationalize with him. I feel a terrible flutter in my chest as apprehension threatens to choke me and constrict my chest but I remain calm and poised. I hear the lock chime coming undone and the door lulls open with a protesting yawn. I cannot see the forecast upon the elders features, he always seems to wear a mask that shows only the face of placidity. But I can see the tension in the vein upon the back of his hand tighten and the skin strain a pale white. He’s nervous just as I that something has gone awry.

“What happened?” Shall I reveal my part in the plot? Or shall I address him like all the other lords and ladies I was introduced to growing up? Smacked into submission if I talked out of turn or seemed rude. Whenever I was to speak with superiors like them at my fathers brunches or celebrations, I was never to reveal my hand to them. A lady especially of noble birth must always hold the deck filled with trick cards close to her and therefore whenever a question was directly inquired, I was to dance around the subject and veer away from the topic. Yet navigating those waters with this individual seemed more of a challenge. Never-the-less, I prepare my answer carefully and categorically. Perhaps I should feign innocence. But the impartial truth seems more appropriate in this instance.

“We went for a stroll, it seems Sakura had other ideas.” His body language goes rigid. The tension in his shoulders look painfully solidified and the hard set of his jaw tells me his anger is palpable.

“How long ago?”

“At least two and a half hours ago.” Before I could finish my statement he slipped away, the door locking behind him and I felt the irritability travel to my feet and I was at the window once again searching for her through the ribs of the trees. I watched my friend be swallowed whole and I prayed that same forest would spit her back out unharmed. But no, I needed to concentrate my thoughts on her seeking safety in the hands of the law. I imagined it like the movies. An army, tanks, swat teams, and red flashing against blue lights pouring over the dirt road to the thick of the wood to save us. I imagined reuniting with my sister taking her into my arms and holding her for hours happy to forget all our disagreements in the past and seek to make new memories. To bury this ugly chapter in my life as far back as possible behind the rising count of days which would eventually scar over the fresh wound in the period of years.

The hum of the belly of an engine starts, the machine is smaller, more aggressive, I watch as the elder eats away at the ground as he too disappears into the forest navigating over uneven terrain. I watch the pale moon rise swollen against the smattering of diamonds and I search for a shooting star. This will help keep my focus on staving off boredom as well as crippling my anxiety crashing like waves through my body. I will look for a star and hope that my wish comes true. I will hope it doesn’t dissolve into stardust and I will hope that Sakura has found someone to get us out of this blackened charred pit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know there will be a few disappointed ppl who are angry about yet another cliff hanger xD But I promise in the next cpt there's plenty of angst and Sasusaku stuffles.


	7. The Siege

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello loves! I got a question as to why there hasn’t been interaction thus far with our characters. I want to remind you the tags imply a slow build and this narrative is done on purpose to put you in the head space of both characters. So hope that clarifies things. ^^

**C H A I N S**

  
My world of time flows backwards. It moves slow and is as course as sand clogging inside my throat. As it throws itself in reverse I reflect upon the events that took place before the timeline pulled itself apart leaving me to stitch it all up. I can feel everything slip through my fingers and my world is illuminated in a dull red which i now tie together in these undone seams as the taillights from a yellow flash of the vehicle that passes me. I had hoped the driver would slow, she how terribly distressed i seemed, but then it sweeps by leaving behind hot breath that glides against my body in a cruel current. My freedom whisks by and away to disappear over the roll of the hill. But then I briefly imagine that if I was in the drivers position I suppose I would be wary of a stranger who had come out of the woods looking frightfully disheveled, and pump my foot down on the gas to avoid them. You take the risk of hitchhikers no matter how innocent they seem. But I am also a doctor and therefore I must dissect myself further and wonder if some part of my would allow my car to idle and allow the safe passage of that same person. But I can’t overthink now—-no, I must continue to vie for my freedom. In my feeble attempt to draw it back with powers I will never uphold I dart in the direction of where it had disappeared. I can feel the gap of my kidnapper gaining ground over me as he now joins the steady pace of following after me upon the asphalt. I can feel he breath of wind push against my body slowing the inertia I’ve carefully built up. I fight against the world which seems to knowingly be against me in this dire time. I have to flag down someone to help me. I imagine that from their perspective my kidnapper and I look like a pair of unsynchronized joggers failing to match the others pace. 

I focus only on the sound of my breathing. If I allow myself to get distracted then I tire becoming sluggish. Focus in the fuel that will keep me charged enough to keep going. To not only gain my freedom but Hinata’s as well. I can only hope the elder hasn’t returned and is now torturing her for information about my escape and absence of his youngest siblings presence. The limitations of my feminine body can only carry me so far. I have a huge disadvantage when it comes to physical stamina. The man chasing me however, is a mass of muscle. Men are built for doing heavy labor, I however, work mainly with my hands. I will pat myself on the back in saying that I do tend to eat healthy, watch my weight, and workout by walking the stretch of blocks to work in the city t keep my physique. But—-my assailants profession probably demands he push his limitations when keeping up his sculpted shape. He is a massive mountain built with sharp edges, sharp bones, taught muscles that easily stretch and expand beneath the pull of the skin. Mine however are warm and hot to the touch begging for rest. 

I curse the male anatomy and then my own frayed nerves that tug at the doubt in my head that I cannot do this. I will not be able to outrun him and find safety in the passenger side of someone’s car. This fear in my head affects my performance and I can painfully feel myself slowing. The sweat pouring from my forehead does nothing to ease the heat of my body overloading. I have to catch my breath or my lungs will burst with the built up hot air. Before I succumb to my own defeat my assailant snags me by the crook of my elbow dragging me down into the soft muddy bed of the ditch against the side of the road. He doesn’t meet much resistance from me for I am far too weary to fight back and struggle against his hold. It seems we both silently agree we need a moment to steady ourselves before whatever fresh hell I’ll be put through. My mind blurs and the ache of my body flares up like a tidal wave and I groan when each nerve ending drums with heated matches in retaliation to the strain I’ve put on myself. 

I can feel his full body weight slumping against my back as he pins me down with it, his chest digging into the wings of my shoulder blades. His breath is hot against my ear. I can feel him fidgeting in his pocket to pull out his phone and I listen as he gruffly relays a message to his brother. I cruelly hear another car swoop past without knowing I’m being pinned merely a few feet away from them. Why would they have any inclination to stop and look down? I keep to myself vowing to keep silent while the only car that does stop is the one I do not wish to get into. I’m dragged to my feet and forced inside the sun kissed cabin of the interior. I can smell the leather as it bakes against the hot sun through the pane of the windows and then the salt of my own soaked skin strangely enough reminds me of the spray of the sea. I can barely manage to sit up as I’m locked in and the younger brother slides to his position in the passenger side relaying all that had happened. I feel like a little girl again being told on by Ino after an innocent game turned against her favor and she got a scraped knee which seemed to evidently be my fault and caused by my hand. But the gut wrenching fear is greater than the mild humming that went through my stomach when I was a child facing the wrath of my parents. There was no danger in their punishments. Not like this. Not when I’m completely in the hands of my kidnappers and I do not know them personally or how they handle these sorts of things. 

So I lie upon my bed not even able to make it to the shower to face them with dignity and let my eyes settle on the landscapes within the shadows of the wall that my eyes create illusions of. The pattern of the ceiling maps out seascapes. I can see the eddies of the tides. My brain even imagines the call of the gulls as faint as they are in my ears I swear I can hear them. I come back to myself when the door opens and my arms are seized again by a pair of hands. I am as limp as a noodle. I offer no resistance. I knew there would be consequences and so I honorably accept all my parts in this terrible plotting and will even beg for Hinata’s indifference to the plot. Sasuke doesn’t even bother to restrain my wrists as I became accustomed to during our meals when I’m out of my room. I gaze impassively past the fuzzy focused figures standing there in front of me. I feel my body melt into the fine soft folds of the recliner I’ve been put onto. Sleep throbs against the circular lining of my eye socket and my lids burn each time I blink. I wish they will get it over with quickly so I can succumb to sleep. The eldest speaks first.

“We have each talked it over and have come to a reasonable agreement as to what it is we should do in light of the situation at hand.” The second one picks up where the other leaves off. I steal a look to him wondering if he’s just as exhausted as I. He looks sturdy and confident in his stance. Not wavered at all by the chase an hour ago. I feel a little crestfallen because of this and my spirits falter even further. 

“We’ve decided on something very suiting given how tired you appear.” I can hear the neck of a rope strain in protest as he pulls on a section offering it resistance when it straightens between the wingspan of his arms. The snap of it barely registers. I only want sleep. I barely notice when the elder disappears somewhere else in the house. Clearly this punishment is his brothers doing and therefore is to solely be carried out by him. He takes my wrists gently in his hands carefully knotting and working the bindings. I am led to an unfamiliar room which has the strong smell of sweat. It is almost pitch dark until the light of the doorway we entered from puts the room into focus. I can see the silhouettes sharpen into workout equipment. Am I to have my head bashed in by a fifty pound weight? I silently watch as he loops the length of the rope around a low hanging beam pulleying it tight until my arms raise above my head. Then his hands tighten and I am lift to the tip of my toes. The slack is tied off to a bar on a piece of machinery well out of my reach. Pain radiates throughout my body and I groan.

He plants himself on one of the benches used for lifting and faces me with a more relaxed demeanor. I wait for more to come. He merely speaks.

“We weren’t prepared for your arrival and we aren’t prepared to know what to do with you even now. But, you cannot just skate by without punishment. You risk compromising the hard work we’ve put into place here and so—-the repercussions will carry out as follows. You’re going to remain dangling in here for three days. I seriously need you to think about not attempting this again because the next time it happens it won’t be as easy as just hanging here.” Easy? I wanted to roll my eyes at him but even that would take energy that I didn’t have to do. I merely stay silent and listen as he continues on.

“I think my brother and I are fair when it comes to handing these things out. Since you weren’t part of this to begin with we get more free range as to what to carry out with you. So I will tell you now. You only get three strikes. And on that third one there will be no further actions taken. Simply put, the last thing you will see before you can plead or beg is a bullet and then darkness. I’d hate to have to bury a beautiful enigmatic woman of your profession in a shallow grave somewhere where your bones will rot in the sun.”

I shutter at the vivid imagery forced into my mind. I can see in his eyes he seems a little more reserved. As though he wouldn’t take pleasure in doing it. Is he actually worrying for my own good? Or is he just spewing bullshit? Because a threat is still a threat. By letting me know that I won’t be put down by my second attempt that’s almost a guarantee that I will do this again. So why even put that idea in my head? Why wait for another plot to take shape? There’s a strain in my arms as their forced to stretch to their limits and not being able to relieve them with a little weight from my body by planting my feet on the ground only makes it worse. So I’d be stuck like this for three days...when my mind was already stretched thin like fair taffy, and my insurance was sapped to nothing. How would I be able to stand not moving my limbs? How was I to relieve the tension in my joints? My weight was being used against me in the cruel display of gravity that pulled me to the floor. I feel defiance burning in the pit of my stomach.

“What about food and relieving myself?”

“Holler.” He spoke as though this was just another tedious chore. I felt my nails bite moons into my palms and the rope sigh against the tension. He’s batting away this situation like I was a mere fly buzzing around his head. I used whatever saliva I had left to hock it onto the floor at his feet. My lips chapped thanks to me forgetting to breathe through my nose and not my mouth. 

“Fuck you.” His eyes linger on the short distance of spit by the tips of his shoes and then dangerously glide up to my gaze. A shutter runs through me. I swore I was not going to be afraid of these men, even concocted a mini mantra to recite in my head that I wouldn’t be. And yet with just that one low flat cast of his stare was enough to unleash all those pent up panics. I could deny it all I wanted, I could force the word in my mind back behind walls and barricades, but the true simple fact of it was, that I was terrified of him. Of them both. Fear was just a word but to actually feel it due to someone else putting it into you is an entirely different beast. A beast of burden. I gulp air lightly watching as he stands and draws nearer to me. There isn’t much room for me to move my limbs. Yet I try. 

I can feel the breath in my throat stolen away by the mere aura of him. His lips threaten to touch the shell of my ear and as I gasp softly feeling all the oxygen in my body still and hitch inside my lungs I listen with every fiber of my being when he utters:

“It could have been just that. Be grateful it wasn’t.” And I listen as he shuts the door and I am left to darkness before I break down and sob uncontrollably. The threat, being caught, his warning, me stupidly cursing at him, and then him confirming that—-rape could have been the alternative to me being bound broke the dam inside me and I wept through half the night. 

The next time I was fully conscious I heard the gentle songs of the birds twittering outside the hellish walls of my prison. There was a sliver of light expanded upon the walls and refracting up to the ceiling. I listened to the door open and there he was, the man who promised the destruction of my very existence standing there with the unfortunate nourishment my body needed. I could smell the eggs and suddenly longed to be once more shackled at the table. At least there the threat was absent, I could speak with Hinata, I didn’t think have to constantly think about my mortality and how any second by this mans hand it could be snuffed out. 

“Morning.” He spoke the words just as simply as he did when dishing out the threat the night before. I head the binding of the rope become slack and I’m dropped to my knees which crash heavily against the grain of the wood flooring. I yelp to myself trying to find my balance. The bones in my feet ache painfully and with his own point of his shoe he pushes the tray over to me. He purposely put it on the floor knowing I would land here. The water inside my glass sloshes about and before a single precious drop can escape from the brim I gulp it down. I reserve myself to carefully scarf the rest of my breakfast down before cleaning the entire plate within a mere five minutes and draining the rest of my glass catching the droplets on my lips and demanding them to roll over my tongue.

“Slow down or you’ll just puke it back up. Make sure you use the bathroom too before I come back.” He leaves me to drag myself across the floor to the small bathroom. As I go and wash my hands I quickly stretch my locked joints urging them to bend freely by rubbing away the warmth in my tingling muscles. I focus on the back of my calves, the balls of my heels, the pad of my foot, the joints in my toes, and then before I can even get to my forearms he’s back and he puts my wrists in the loose fitted nooses before tightening them up and getting me back to my allotted position the night before. As I dangle alone I reflect. I cannot tell you all that I thought about during those blank blurry periods of time but I can tell you there was so much I did think on that my head started to get a migraine. 

I only ate in the morning and at night. But it felt like constant night in here. And on the third one he came in to release me. I’d never been so relieved to see that bastard knowing he was going to let me go back to my cage but at least in there it was my space and I could do as I pleased. Not to mention move and actually sleep on a bed and look outside. Perhaps that was his plan after all, that I was supposed to reflect on how good I had it. Whatever the case I was thankful he was here to send me back up to the room. Off came the bindings but before I could fall to my knees he caught me around my waist. I could feel the tension in his body and something in me just knew he demanded my attention. Something told me he needed to say something and when I looked up at him meeting those cold gray slated eyes he spoke evenly just as before.

“We need to talk...” 


	8. The Intruder

** C H A I N S **

  
I lay here in my bed contemplating the events that took place days ago. It still clings to me like a bad dream and even when I knew there would be repercussions I went through with it of my own free volition. But now regret wraps its ugly fingers around my throat and squeezes constantly, clinging to me like an infection that’s constantly reminding me of the failure to succeed. I’ve had nothing but night terrors waking up in cold sweat that Sasuke had warped into a greater monster my mind fractionalized making him more terrible and vile every time I’d lay my head down to sleep. Always the same scene dug barbed hooks into my skin and wrought my mind with that scene of him catching me. The worst was the dream where he sunk his teeth into my flesh and began eating me while I was still alive screaming in anguish as the dagger like teeth peeled away the matter that was made of me until there was nothing left.

Now as I sit in the middle of the night balled up into myself wide awake and holding my arms tightly, I distract my mind. I watch the beams of moonlight lazily dance upon the floor as the shadow of the trees jostle its light about when the leaves quiver and shake. It’s soothing and just when I get lost in that silky comfort the door unlocks and opens in one motion and I jump out of my skin. For a split second my heart hammers in my chest and I expect to see the conjured evil manifestation of Sasuke my mind has so cruelly concocted, but then I take in the elders shape quickly to unsaturate the picture my head is painting. I remind myself to breath and then he takes a small step into my room. Itachi, that’s his name. He never dares to intrude in my space. He never enters fully, he always seems to linger at the doorway. For that small mercy I am grateful. But even this innocent act twists in my head and I can feel panic rise in my body. Why would a burly male of his stature enter a ladies room at three in the morning? I dig my fingernails into my arm and my breath hitches in my lungs. I’m creating all these worries and anxiety and just when I feel I might fall apart he speaks:

“Can’t sleep?”

My mouth opens but my throat is suddenly terribly dry and the words never get a chance to flutter freely from my lips. To him I just appear to be gawking with my mouth parted. His passive face is always intimidating even if his actions say otherwise. He may still be an enemy but being a doctor my path has taught me to always observe. To take in everything because if I miss one thing it could result in a fatality for my patient. But I disassociate myself from my normal life. I am an outside observer absorbing everything like a sponge. So I express what I see now.

Since coming here “Itachi” has been passive. His poker face is so carefully kept I understand he’s worn a mask for so long that it seems impossible for him to take it off. And perhaps that’s because of the profession he’s chosen. This type of rule breaking in our structured law abiding society which is normal to me, is nowhere near as dark and terrible as the work thieves are prone to. What drove these brothers to even consider doing this? They don’t look like crooks or murderers. I can just as easily place them in my world as officers, or perhaps even the elder could be a professor or something. So why...? What were the brothers like before this? Did they grow up with a bad home life and therefore sought solace in the tight bond of their brotherhood to go against society? One shouldn’t be curious about her captors and yet I cannot help gravitating towards the subject of it. Especially when i have nothing else to do but think.

“Well, come on then.” He doesn’t motion for me. He doesn’t give me any more hints to what it is I should do. He merely extends the door a bit farther and disappears. For a moment I think it’s a trick. I’ll be tackled to the floor and then he’ll have his way with me. And yet that frightening deep baritone timbered voice is somewhat soothing and utterly truthful. So my feet find themselves touching against the ground. I take a moment to ground myself and curl my toes around the soft fibers of my carpet. Then I’m bounding out of the room taking a quick sweep of the interior of my sanctuary before blindly following the elder whose shadow is quickly being swallowed down the stairs. I follow trying to make my presence invisible and unknowing. Like a ghost I float down the stairs and see he’s seated at the kitchen table, the soft glow of one light on above his head haloes inside the room giving it an unobtrusive warm glow. 

Blessed coffee fills my senses. I can feel my body coming to life and with it the sore ache in my joints from my three day stay in the weight room. I absentmindedly rub my thumb in a circular motion against the spot of my elbow upon my forearm and shuffle into the kitchen. The strong stagnant aroma plumes around me and I freeze halfway to the pot still hissing and gurgling feeling eyes upon my back. I gulp softly and don’t dare turn around. I might shatter if I do. 

“Go on. There’s an assortment of creamers in the fridge, sugar to the right of the maker, and spoons directly in the drawer below it.” 

It takes me ten seconds before I let the words settle and I beginmaking my cup which he already seemed to anticipate I would share with him since it’s already on the countertop and I get to work on perfecting it to my liking. I watch as the dark roast of the water bleeds into a beautiful tan and creamy foam like state. I leave the sugar out and sit stirring it carefully so the metal doesn’t clink against the porcelain. My eyes unintentionally look to the restraints on the chair and like me he seems to observe and take everything in as well.

“You don’t need those. I trust you.” 

I look up at him mouth stupidly agape once more and then I feel foolish for trusting in his words so easily. Of course he wouldn’t have a problem with taking down a hundred pound woman. I look into my cup watching the different swirling patterns dancing about the surface gingerly lifting it to my lips and loving the strong ground bean taste roll over my tongue. The creamer dulls its strong kick and it glides smoothly down my throat. I didn’t hear a grinder so I assume he bought the bag already blended. We sit here silently sipping every now-and-then and I never dare to look up and meet his obsidian stare. The only sound between us is the little puckered sighs that happen in different synchronizations and the rustling of the paper he’s flipping through. 

“I’m finished with the current events section. Would you like it?” He still doesn’t look up to meet my gaze. 

“Yes. Please.” Contact from the outside world. I wouldn’t even mind just reading a current stupid ad. But whole sections renews my dampened spirits. He separates the pages passing them to me and I eagerly devour each word. Even the annoying political things that I normally would find dull. I just wanted to feel some small thread tied to the outside world. It became another silent ritual. I would fold the sections I was done with in neat squares letting them stay to the far right of the table and he would pass me the articles he was finished with. Now I typically was a fast reader given my job was always time consuming, but this person topped even my college level of training. His focus was sharp and his eyes were halfway to a three thousand printed page on its middle even before the clock hit for a third minute. While I waited my turn I silently timed him. Five minutes was all he needed to have read the entire span of the left side to the right. I needed at least fifteen minutes. 

And then he was done and I was playing catch up. He skipped the comics section but as I said, I’ll read even the foolish of things just to feel like I could still exist normally back into my old world again, and once done discarded the rest of the paper in my neat little pile. 

“Need a refresher?” I looked at the unappealing slosh of coffee left and then to him. If I drank anymore it would certainly result in a trip to the bathroom. I smiled politely and shook my head.

“Thank you, but no.” He shrugged and topped his cup off not even taking cream or sugar. It was now five. We’ve been silently regarding one another for two hours. Just this small measure of kindness. And normalcy was enough to help expand the painfully slow grind of time when I was left alone in my room to my own devices. I tried countless things like taking naps just to pass at least three hours away but since the plague of nightmares began I’ve been reluctant to even do that. And then, like those first few days I got the overwhelming urge to have just some semblance of contact. I held my breath and before I could stifle the words they just poured from my mouth.

“Why couldn’t you sleep?” His eyes lingered on the bay window as the first rays of sunlight began creeping across the yard filtering the slim shards of light against the window as rainbow like reflections danced against the floor. Already I could hear the loud humming of June bugs rattling in the trees and felt the warm breeze against my skin as it came in small waves through the open window. I brushed the strands of my hair that tickle against my cheek behind my ear. I couldn’t help but notice his long bangs mimicking the same motions. But he was unbothered by it. His hair was always neatly raked into a tidy red hair tie. There was something ethereal in watching him.

“Hmngh.” I strained to listen for more but he seemed in a trance as he watched life yawn awake outside. “I’m usually the one up early. Always have been. I suppose it’s become instinct by now. Even in my younger years I rose before my little brother so I could make us a hearty breakfast.” He reclaimed his mug in his hands and I noticed the silver ring on his finger glint against a fraction of light momentarily blinding me and catching my attention at the same time. There was a symbol in the middle, but from this distance I could hardly read it, and it was a black letter drowning in a circular sea of red. He wore it on his middle finger. I remembered when he pulled me out of the car that one time I noticed there was an irregular bump in the anatomy of his gloves. I suppose he wears it all the time though I know not of the significance or importance of it. 

I’ve barely heard him say so many words in a sentence. Yet I craved more. I got a tiny peek in the small slat he allowed into his past. But I remained silent and listened. 

“What about you?” Oh, my turn I suppose. I sort of wished I did take a little splash more of coffee. I could really use a swig. Instead I traced the cup with my thumb.

“I’m sure as you know I’m a doctor, so I often rise and sleep during odd hours of the day.” He didn’t confirm the first part, but I already knew he and his brother probably knew more about me than I did myself at this point. 

“Your friend should be coming down soon.” He rose to his feet swiping my mug and clinking it with his own washing it and the pot before making a fresh batch and got to work on whipping up something. I watched the golden yoke of the egg become battered until the bowl filled with a pool of yellow. He was so careful and articulate with his cooking, I only wished I honed half a fraction of knowing how to cook with that much passion. I barely got lunch breaks and when I did since it was just me by myself I would usually resort to microwave meals. This was a nice change in my diet. To have a full home cooked meal. Despite the nightmares it did feel good to take time to myself and work on healing me rather than rushing around everywhere trying to save as many lives as I could throughout the day. It was nice to be waited on. The counter space filled up with plates of sausage, eggs, syrup, orange juice, bacon, and wheat toast buttered and still hot. 

As he sets the plates down on the table it seems to summon the younger one and then Hinata strolls in and I leap to my feet hugging her. It’s the first time since I ran away that I’ve reunited with her. Another part of my punishment after I was thrust back into my room by the younger brother was the lack of socialization. I suppose that was punishment for her part in the plot. The not knowing if I was alright. We tightly embrace and I distract myself to keep from weeping into her shoulder. She holds my head still in order to get a better look at me and dawns that kind smile I didn’t know my soul needed. 

“Sakura-Chan I’m so thankful you’re alright.”

“Me too...and you?” She shakes her head. She never wants people to understand how troubled she truly is so she puts on a brave smiling face. But I know better. I wish I could tut tut her and give her a chiding pep talk but I’ll take her unbruised appearance as a sign that she was not hurt. 

The younger one goes straight for the coffee, I make sure not to look in his direction. His presence grates against my skin. Ever since that night and my nightmares I’ve found him repulsive. I sit catching up with Hinata as the two brothers share in their own conversation which I pointedly ignore. 

As we all sit here enjoying breakfast and eating the banquet created for this small band there’s a knock at the front door. It was nice not being bound to a chair and reaching across the table to take whatever I wanted without the restraint of my wrist going past my plate. But things take a turn and go eerily silent. I panic. Did something happen? Are we to be killed and pushed into a shallow grave outside? No- my talk with Itachi was fruitful and pleasant, was he going to put on his mask and become a different brutal person that I already knew his brother was like? Hinata and I shared the same look of concern as once again our fates were out of our hands. Sasuke drew a pistol from it’s holster against his waistband and clicked the safety off before cocking it ready to kill. 

I swallow hard and watch as he slowly rises from his seat. Itachi looks to us and raises his finger to his lips, his eyes burning with seriousness. Who else knows we’re out here? Did the money get transferred? We’re we actually going to be free this very day? I dashed that hope away, since being here I negatively assumed the worst so why would I dare to dream now? I prayed this wasn’t going to end in fatalities, I reached over gripping Hinata’s hand as Itachi kept his gaze fixated on us both. I was stapled to my seat. Even if I wanted to take the opportunity to run I couldn’t. I listen as the door creaks open and then there’s a loud exchange that makes me jump out of my skin. I can feel the weight of tension in the room crushing down on me in an overbearing weight and I feel like I’m going to suffer a heart attack. I can only imagine what Hinata’s thinking and then....

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my loves I told you guys from here on out it would begin to boil. We went from summer to boiling >3  
> ———————————  
> Q: "Curious to know will they just let Hinata go after she’s seen their faces?"
> 
> A: I can’t get into details without releasing spoilers gomen!  
> ———————————
> 
> Q: " why did they plan this for a longtime?" 
> 
> A: because it was in their contract to do so. They work for third parties essentially doing the dirty work for big time bosses and people who pay through the nose for this type of thing.


	9. The change

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my loves! Hope you enjoy this chpt because it’s gonna heat up from here! Comment questions or concerns are welcome !

**C H A I N S**

  
“We need to talk.” 

Those words are so blindingly engrained in my memory, and yet, I can just as easily cast Sasuke’s words aside in lieu of the new situation that’s presented itself. He’s at the door arguing with someone outside on the porch. My heart flutters widely while my mind is drowning in a duality of sane and irrational thinking. On one side I thought this was the way things were going to end. It all went sour and flopped on the employers end and due to this failure Hinata and I were to be buried and our bones burned somewhere in these mountainous woods. Then the other side I was imagining a SWAT team busting through all entry points subduing our assailants and tackling them to the ground in a satisfying arrest putting an end to the brothers. I can’t stand the not knowing. I want to jump out of my skin and see what altercation is happening just on the other side of this thinly veiled wall. Hinata’s hand tightly clings to my own and I feel the weight of the world crushing down on me. She seems just as anxious as I do, she leans in to whisper into my ear. 

“Is it the police? Or...?” I shake my head, my word would only be speculation. Itachi doesn’t seem to mind our hushed conversation. His focus is on the problem to his right. Minutes pass and Sasuke strolls back in, the gun tucked back into its holster while he adjusts the hem of his shirt. His expression seems distorted, on one hand he looks mildly irritated, on the other he seems to be relieved. It doesn’t take long for my wonder to dissolve when another person comes trailing in behind him. My knuckles turn white as I hold onto Hinata’s hand for support. I feel the world drop from under my feet. Was this male here to separate us? Is this what Sasuke had wanted to talk about? Was the problem of me being here finally solved and I was to be taken away from Hinata? I felt a well of rage burning inside my chest. I would be damned if I wasn’t going to go down without a fight. I would claw at him until my nails broke or chipped, I would use all the confused, scared, and angry animosity built up inside me the past few weeks to unleash on this unknown person regardless of why he was here. I dared him to take a step towards me. I would lash out before he even knew what was going to hit him. 

But he didn’t, and he smiled politely giving us a little wave. Hinata and I exchanged confused glances. How could this guy be so nonchalant about the whole thing? My head was spinning with questions. The three of them talked as if they had always been old friends. I inspected the male making mental notes. He had a boxy build and yet seemed a bit lanky. Sasuke and the man seemed to be the same height as one another save a few cowlicks to give my captor the advantage over the apparent colleague. His hair was the color of soft snow in winter and yet his eyes were a captivating lilac color that bled into violet in the absence of light. His clothing is more casual than the brothers as if he really intended to drop by for a visit. The soft gray tones truly accentuated his features as well as the unique colors of his hair and eyes. His canines seem unusually sharp that its almost unsettling. I watch as Sasuke turns his piercing gaze to the white haired male and as if we were nothing more than odd props in a sitcom. The stranger finally notices us and motions in our direction.

“Who are these two lovely ladies Sasuke? Ya didn’t tell me you were expecting company.” Once more the normalcy of the situation off-puts me and I stare completely dumbfounded by the warped going-ons at hand. I steal a glance at Hinata and I’m glad her expression is mirroring my own because this was far too bizarre to even digest. 

“On the left is Hinata, on the right,” He pauses for seconds but they seem to span into minutes. It should be easy. Just say my name and move on. But he doesn’t. His eyes specifically meet my own and that glare makes my skin crawl. What the hell was that look even about? Was it a warning to us not to...no he didn’t even look at Hinata when addressing our names aloud, they were on the male, and now all his attention has shifted onto me and it makes me want to be swallowed up into the floor just to avoid that burning stare. Ever since he whispered that vile promise to me I felt incapable of collecting myself and piecing myself back together. I use my free hand to dig my nails into my knee. I want to scream at him to stop staring at me like that! I want him to go away! I won’t let this asshole see me react. I won’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me buckle under the weight of his disgusting words. I wont let him see how he really affects me. I steel my nerves and lift my head just a little bit higher and give my best smug expression as I possibly can. The passing moment between us disappears and time marches on in its cruel advance but even then there’s an inflection in his voice when he says my name and it puts another needle in my side. 

“And Sakura.” The stranger doesn’t seem to notice the tension between us and I pray Itachi hadn’t either. His kindness may have been accepted but I would make no mistake in getting Stockholm syndrome or even allow them to have a semblance of integrity in my minds eye. We were in a den of lions and anything could happen here and until I was safe at home in my bed I wouldn’t forget these were criminals. I could appreciate the kindness shown in these rare moments, but I would be damned if I was going to allow myself to have even a small sliver of thought that perhaps these two weren’t bad men after all. No, they would always be monsters that would haunt me for the rest of my life. 

“Oh! I’m Suigetsu! Nice to meet ya.” 

Incredulously enough the weirdness doesn’t stop there, he actually extends his hand out towards us and once more we share a look of disbelief that this is transpiring in font of us. Of course he had to know the situation, otherwise how else would he just be nonchalant about the whole thing? Naturally, neither of us feel like playing pretend and offer to accept the outstretched hand which quickly recedes back into his jean pockets. He kicks an open chair out with his foot taking a seat at our fucked up little table of horrors and I suddenly crave wanting to be in my room away from this madness. Itachi stands in one smooth motion clearly uninterested in the company Sasuke keeps and motions us to follow him which we gladly do.

I lay in my bed mulling over the things that happened downstairs. I wish I had a journal, or even a receipt and pencil just to write something down as a source of venting and getting all this bottled up stress onto paper as a way of releasing the emotions bubbling inside me. I ease the tension in my locked frame by tracing patterns and shapes in the ceiling with my eyes. It’s a temporary trick that distracts my mind and keeps me in an odd sort of trance. Ino was always trying to get me into yoga and meditation, I suppose this is the closest experience I have to understanding it. The head is focused, the body at peace, ones breathing in a steady pace while your mind transcends the room and floats into a consciousness of nothing. I blink and it’s gone. I can hear the raucous muffled laughter floating from up the stairs which I block out by pulling a pillow over my head covering both my ears and watching the last bit of light fade away outside. 

I open my eyes and the entire room is drowned in black. I blink until my vision adjusts to the dark and my fingers nimbly search for the little beaded cord to my right. I turn on the lamp unleashing a dull orange tinted glow and that’s when I notice something off. A shadow at the end of my bed. My stomach drops, my heart is in my throat, while the rest of my insides squeeze to my spine. I immediately draw into myself pressing my legs close to my chest scrambling as far away from the figure as I can. It doesn’t move. I might be still dreaming but as I squint to see the silouette take its form, I recognize the outline and then the features come into focus. All of my insides coil like a snake in the sunlight. I feel bile in my throat and I take steady silent breaths. Sasuke.

We need to talk.

I think I might throw up. No. This is part of him affecting me, I vowed in the kitchen not to let him see me fold under the mere sweep of his gaze. I build my walls back up and do my best to wear my own mask of him being here doesn’t bother me one bit. Despite him being creepy as hell right now in the middle of the night. The glare I bore into the side of his head is real, however. Every fiber of my being grates liked barbed wire against my innards and skin whenever he’s in the same room as me. Him being this close is like choking on sand while roasting on a spit. Amidst the eerie silence his shoulders slightly hunch and he lets out an exhale before turning his eyes to me. That stare again. I’ve never wanted to smack someone so badly in my life and he even tops the time I had to stay composed while a grieving father spat in my face and assaulted me after I delivered him bad news. I could only imagine the horrible things he’s concocting in his head. I cling to the blanket twisting the fabric in my fists holding it tightly to myself as a way to cope and create a safe barrier for myself. Never mind how stupidly easy it would be for him to merely rip it out of my hands. I shake the thought away keeping a steady eye on him at the opposite end of my bed. Here’s the difference between him and his brother: Itachi never invades in on my space, whereas Sasuke could give a flying fuck. I grit my teeth,  hard,  and then its back to a one sided glaring war. 

“It wasn’t my intention to scare you.” I scoff rolling my eyes at the blatant lie. 

“What are you doing here? Get out.” He bats away my demand without so much as offering me a reaction of his own. These two wore masks, I’m assuming their whole lives. I’m a novice at this and I know I cant compete. But I want to rattle him. I want to put my hands on him and slap him until that stupid smug face of his shatters and I see what’s laying underneath. I want to not be here anymore! Waiting, waiting, waiting! I was a busy person, I had order, I was always on the go, on the move and doing something. Now I idle most days and its driving me insane. Hinata was a valuable member of society so why the hell was this thing grinding as slow as it was? I can feel this terrible ache in my chest, this monster I unintentionally created building and building inside me and I was terrified of having it become unchained. I thought Hinata would be the one to break but my resolve is growing more terrible and harder to ignore. I clench my jaw and am ready to just...throttle this asshole because he’s in my wake and I just want to hit something. Anything. He’s saying something but the world drowns out, my vision narrows to tunnel focusing solely on only him. His lips move, but his body remains still and he’s not looking at me. There’s a ringing in my ears but I cant hear anything, its silent, and before I can claw myself out of this pit I dug inside of me, I lash out at him. 

I don’t want him in here anymore. I want my sanctuary back. I want to brood in my solitude by myself. I beat against his chest and expect a fight or a blinding backhanded slap. But like this enigma that’s haunted me since coming here I’m taken aback yet again. He doesn’t resist. He doesn’t fight back. He doesn’t even block or defend himself. He lets me lay blow after blow to his chest, I even half heartedly give a slight slap to his hard jaw before feeling terrible guilt roil over me. I tear up. Coward! Fight back! He looks at me with...sympathy? Really? How dare this bastard condescend to me! Does he think I’ve lost my shit?! If he wont fight back then my desire to inflict pain diminishes and I feel the burning sensation redirect itself to my eyes and I stifle a hiccup. I warn myself not to cry. Not to look weak in front of him. I spent half my life feeling just that and its a terrible black hole that burrowed its way into my soul. I’m far from the woman I used to be. I’m not some timid little girl whose too afraid to speak her mind any longer. I bite my lip and I grip the collar of his shirt wanting to have answers. 

“You asshole...” I hate how my voice quivers, I hate that I have to hide my face under my bangs so he cant see me crying or that my lip is trembling. “Why...what do you want from me?!” I’m ready for any explanation he has for me. I truly was. But not for what actually happened. 

He brings his hand to the level of my eyes and those disgusting willowy slender fingers push past the hair fallen in front of my face and I feel the balls of his fingertips swipe against my cheek brushing away the hot diamonds scorching my cheeks. How—-how can this man whom I dislike so strongly continue to surprise me and evaporate my previous strongly felt emotions? A second ago I was ready to pummel him into a pulp and now he throws me through a loop and I clam up unable to understand what the hell he’s thinking? How can he reshape me effortlessly? I was filled with so much rage I saw red and somehow he managed to smother that by this minor action. He gently tips my head up, angling my face to his so our eye levels meet. My head is an empty slate, my body numb, and I cant fathom what it is I’m feeling. He quelled my anger when really I thought he would spur me on and cause the ugly side of me to surface. Once more I want to put space between me and him but this time its for a different reason. It’s because I don’t know what he’s going to do next. I wish I could turn back the clock and summon the seeded misery I had moments ago.

“Sakura.” No. Don’t you dare say my name like that. Not again. Not in that same breathy tone. The way he said it is foreign to me. I was referred as ‘her’ or ‘she’ and it felt unsettling when he actually called me by my name. It was an odd sort of contact that made me materialize into something real. I was an object in his eyes before and now I was formulating in a solidified form as a person. I pull away but in the same motion he’s snatching my wrist which was just clutched in the fabric of his shirt. Something passes in his eyes. 

“I’m sorry.” His words are so sincere. They are honest and utterly true. The creature in my mind is bending back into a man and yet I keep it from happening and then he says it again and I want him to lie. I want him to be a bastard again. Stop trying to plead to my humanity that somehow is still intact. The integrity in this apology rattles me and I just want him gone. To get out. 

“Listen to me.” And then I cant stop myself from shaking. The respite gnaws at any retaliation I can think of to yield him from lingering longer. I just want to turn on my auto pilot. To do the motions and move through each day in an ordered fashion like before. But he’s stapling me to the present and I cant even escape into my head. I go to push him away and he keeps my hands where they land against his collarbone. I gasp softly looking up at him.

“I know you’re confused and scared. But I give you my word I’m not going to hurt you. I’m also sorry about what I said the other day.” It renews the memories I buried in the soil of my brain letting the weeds take root from that night. They blossomed terrible images and scenarios that he would make good on that threat. It birthed a creature that took form making me wake at irregular hours of the night in sheens of sweat and tears. 

“I can only ask that you don’t put me in a position to have to...do that ever again. Please.” 

“Stop...” I utter. He demands my attention again with his thumb and forefinger and I am forced to confront my demons. I hold my breath for a moment before the cracks in my world begin to splinter and grow larger until deep fissures form. Despite all the terrible weight on what I assumed was my fragile soul, makes me question just how resilient it truly was. Because even now it doesn’t shatter. I don’t break like I figured I was going to minutes ago. What exactly was I capable of? What was this experience I was going through doing to me mentally? All those thoughts flush out of my system when he urges me closer by grasping his hands around my thighs dragging me just a few inches closer and my lungs feel like jelly when we come face to face. 


	10. Close

**C H A I N S**

Even in my classes I never understood the concept of  synergy.  I know the term. I understand its context and yet it is the only word that’s floating around in my mind which has been reduced to piles of ash after the one I know to be called Sasuke set fire to any rational emotions that pre-existed seconds ago. Within a matter of months he’s managed to pull out every range of reaction I didn’t even realize I was capable of. I was contented being like everyone else with three main ranges that blinked on and off like the traffic lights throughout the day. Happy, sad, angry. But my temperaments expanded beyond those simple horizons. 

I wasn’t as talented at keeping them from others as my captors, however as I look into the smoldering embers still threatening to consume any more of my paper thoughts. However, I can see a small crack in his placid features. I wrinkle my nose in disgust drawing away as much as I can manage against his ironclad hold blatantly looking to the floor diverting my gaze from his. How natural it must be for him to weave all manners of spells and cast them on his  helpless  victims. I bet they’re easily misled, swooning right into his arms hoping to cozy up to this playboy for a chance of leniency and escape. His brows crease in slight confusion and I feel the gravity of his fingers loosen ever so slightly from my waist yet he still keeps me drawn into his orbit. 

“How many other women have you used that line on?” He downcasts his timid stare as though he’s contemplating on which words to choose carefully before feeding them to me. 

“None.” He grounds out. I choose to stand visualizing him feeding me a spoon of heaping garbage and daring to call it gourmet. And that’s all this has ever been about. I’ve been allowing my judgment to cloud over in the hopes of making things gradually get a little easier each day here. There’s a sharp pain in my heart, this is textbook Sakura. Stockholm Syndrome, you’ve had to cooperate with the police before with cases that have these exact same shapes and symptoms. Granted I’ve only had about three of them, but they all have the same framework. I refuse to let the same stupefied silly spell settle over me. 

“Ha!” I slow my hammering heart, wait for my breath to even out, and then I dare to disclose my full attention back to him turning on the ball of my feet. We regard one another for a brief moment and I see his walls clearly build back up as his face falls and draws back into its usual placid place. The fracture disappearing. “Did you try seducing my friend the same way?” 

His usual coal gray eyes flash into dangerous dark tided eddies of deep black ink. I’ve pushed a boundary that I have no regrets in doing. So as he rises in one graceful motion from the end of my bed I take a few steps back out of the halo of small light available in the room and he soon joins me in the darkness. He becomes a black mass towering over me as I retreat to maintain my distance from him. The wing of my shoulder blade beats against the hard plaster of the wall. I still, holding my hands over one another as they rest on the small rise of my chest and I yelp when the thick trunk of his arm flys past the side of my head and his palm connects firmly against the wall beside me. My eyes widen for a brief second I thought this was the moment he was going to finally lose his composure and slap me.

I flinch and when I recoil from myself enough to peek an eye open I dare to search out the whites of his eyes. Even a trace of the diamonds that linger at the corners of his eyes, but find there is nothing. Just the empty doll like eyes of a shark about to go in for the kill. 

“Awfully presumptuous of you to assume I’m promiscuous  Sakura . Especially when you yourself are a prude.” My cheeks heat, the Gods pour fire into my mold and I feel it engulfing my entire being. How dare he! 

“Don’t presume to know me or what I am!” The bitterness in his low baritone sends a shutter through my body like cold water over flame. I gaze into the abyss of his eyes as he stares right back down the barrel of his aristocratic nose and my vision settles on the thinly drawn line of his tiers as he adds acidity to his venomous words injecting his threateningly poisonous words through my soul.

“Take your own advice, Sakura.” The way that foul forked tongue of his sinfully strokes against the syllabus of my name leaves me in an embarrassed state, one to which I can barely think of a way to jab at his response. I was responsible for this reaction, but so what?! He’s been more than happily drawing all of mine out so why shouldn’t I rebel with this little defiant dance we seem to come to know and fall into every time we converse with one another? This man really knows how to piss me off. I jut my chin up in response. How dare he literally look his nose down at me right now when his occupation gives him no credibility to talk or preach. 

“I tend to make my own assumptions, given the circumstances.” 

“You think I’m just some brainless brute?” 

“If the shoe  fits .” I airily add my two cents listening to his fingers curl behind my head against the wall. I take a small measured gulp and feel rather than see him hold my chin in place as his lips draw near yet again. Lyrics to a song pop into my head at the most inappropriate time but it fits with the situation.  With your lips I sense a danger, you’ve got the eyes of a stranger.

I can feel him drag out the distance between us and can see the shadows of his lips upturn into a cruel arrogant smirk. It’s almost off putting but I continue to hold my ground and stand by my words.

“What a haughty princess you are.” 

“I never claimed to wear a crown.” I icily spit back at him dawning my own impression of the infamous Sasuke scowl. 

“Not that its any of your business but I too hold a diploma,  your highness. ” Now that really did send me through a loop. Surely this low life criminal must be joking. 

“Oh? Clown school?” 

“Harvard.” He flatly replies. My jaw drops open. I’m reminded he still has hold of it which he condescendingly flips up so my lips smack together. I smack his hand away. He could be bluffing. There’s no way he did his time in college and earned a degree. What would he even study? How to become a cat burglar? 

“It’s true princess, got it framed and everything.” 

“I’m sure.” I’m not going to showcase my surprise to him, but my mind is reeling right now. I cant believe a criminal went to somewhere that pristine. Then again, its not like he would crank out an essay on vowing to take advantage all he’ll learn in his courses for gainful black market employment. How he’ll twist all his achievements and use them against a society he really should be working for. 

I’ve spent too much time in my mind, its been surprisingly quiet as I chew over my thoughts. I narrow my eyes waiting for this game of chicken to end. He withdraws his hand and I am free from being pinned by my wings against the wall and he surprises me by going to the door. He looks back over his shoulder muttering just enough I can catch it.

“I don’t have to prove myself to a princess.” He shuts the door jarring the frame a little and I scowl in its wake. 

—————————————————————————————————————

Hinata and I sit outside in the backyard stuck with a bodyguard as we make light conversation under the shade of the umbrella on a patio. It’s thankfully the older brothers turn to watch us and we casually reminisce and even dare to make plans for the future should we ever get out of here, alive.

Itachi is reading, he’s always reading, or sipping tea it seems. I wonder what university he graduated from considering the books he’s always nosing are often hard editions for a senior in college to even get through. Today it’s the art of war in a Latin edition. I suppose he likes torturing the muscles in his brain to expand them and keep them sharp.

Hinata seems to enjoy being in her stasis state oblivious to the details of the brothers. She grounds herself in the present and enjoys watching the grass grow or the leaves rustle from the wind. She fits here. In the country I mean. She looks like a prestige’s queen overlooking her garden. Her ivory skin may be complimented by the moon in the harshness of the city at night, but in the daylight she glows like a flower herself yearning for the approval of the sun. 

I smile as she turns her attention back onto me and her mouth moves but no sound comes out. I blink. 

“Sorry, say again?” 

“I asked how you were fairing?” I shake my head disturbed by the illusion of our situation. 

“As well as a prisoner can I suppose.” I fold my hands over my knees like a paper swans wings staring at the bland features of my outfit. Normally on a day like today I’d choose a setting that involved the strong scent of coffee. The bustling busy bodies of people eagerly awaiting to get their hands on their order. I’d more than likely be too busy to notice the background noise as I jot down notes to archive the days events. 

“You’re still—-doing ok though, right?” Her soft voice pillows around my thoughts. I glance up at her and give her a light smile. That’s the last thing I need—-for HInata to worry about me and my mental state. I offer up my best not-to-worry smile showing off my teeth and fan my hand at her back and forth.

“I am. The only thing I’m worried about it getting you back home safe and sound.” Her brows furrow and her face falls. I look at her confused. What’s that look for?

“Sakura—-please tell me you aren’t trying to make a deal behind closed doors.” She says it softly, but I can feel Itachi’s attention jerk from the pages of his book and suddenly the tension around me vacuums all the air from my lungs.

“O-of course not!” 

Hinata glances over her shoulder to Itachi, she leans in a bit closer.

“It’s just that, I’ve noticed you have sort of been changing when the other one is around.”

Changing?  I know sometimes it takes an outsider looking in to tell you if you’ve been acting different, but...that’s just ridiculous! 

“How so?” I inquire truly intrigued. 

“You seem more, how should I put this. Like your old self. In a good way! Like before you got caught up in your career and just sort of drove on autopilot.”

“I didn’t drive on autopilot...”

“You sort of did. You became withdrawn wh-which I totally understand! You have always been a busy body and that’s just who you are which is fine but- I miss having ourleisure hangout times. It’s been so hard to call and know when you’ll have a day off. I commend you, I really do, you want to save every life you can throughout the day but then it becomes this fixation for you and you lose track of time and I just...” 

I put my hand atop of hers.

“I understand, I have fallen into bad habits I know. Tell you what, if we get out of this I’ll make the effort to be there more.” 

————————————————————————————

Changing. The word rolls around in my head like a marble hitting all the edges of my wooden head in annoying plinking sounds. The world drowns out once more and I’m sucked back into that black meditative void that’s happened before. I gaze up at the ceiling, it started with counting the bumps and finding patterns, but then my mind melts into a warm stasis. Usually that’s how it does happen, but the word turns into an object and I find myself being annoyed by my thoughts rather than taking comfort in them.

I’m with myself twenty four seven so I don’t notice when I grow or relapse into the old me. What did she mean? I cant stand Sasuke. I hate everything about him. His airs, his smug expressions, his haughty demeanor. He acts like he’s the king of everything while everyone around him is just a piece on his board to move and manipulate. 

He makes my skin crawl! And speaking of satan, here he comes to deliver my meal that I refused to come down and eat just to avoid that bastard and he cant be bothered with showing a little bit of emotion. He wanders over to the nightstand setting the tray down. There’s terrible silence and he’s going to leave. I want him to leave. I do. Yet when I grab hold of his hand he glances at me and like that unspoken dance we seem to just  know —-  he crushes his body against mine, lips crashing on the shores of my own, our teeth painfully knock and I can feel my lip swell from the onslaught and yet I return his fervor with equal hunger. 

Our bodies collide, I press flush against him, he easily holds me up, I get lost in the soft fanning of his hair, and he mine, we paint a canvas of black and light pink against one another. Dark and light mingling in a beautiful new color that just works. His fingertips bruise my skin against the small of my back. I wrap my arms around his thick neck taking in his alluring scent of sweat, musk, and pine. I drink him in. And somewhere in the fray my eyes became misty and I’m crying, but its the last of my resistance weeping from the hot coals of my tears reminding me that I’ve bottled too much up and this is my repercussion. 

I can feel the sturdy strength in his boxy steeled frame and I feel secure and safe in his arms. I don’t completely fit into him, yet I demand a vast majority of his abdomen and his waist that I don’t need to force myself to fit against him. He just makes it happen by holding me off my feet and allowing me to be a part of him. And as I spiral into my chaos and madness I feel like I’m falling, and I am, but then the soft plush of my bed catches me and shapes to my form and he’s straddling me. 

I breath him in and for a moment we part for air, and that’s when I fall even further. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry guys Re-uploading bc I Accidentally paste the same chapter from 9 its fixed! 
> 
> Also there may or may not be some nsfw next chpt...but there totally will be


	11. Corruption

** C H A I N S **

Everything about this is bathed in fire. The way his lips blow warmth against the hollow of my neck, the way he seers red petals against my skin. I’m lost in the infinite haze that keeps me tethered to him while he goes about ravishing me. What am I doing? I’ve never known  love , I deliberately steered away from it to focus on my career. I never was the pretty one, or popular choice against the stack of my amazingly beautiful friends. I worked hard to get to where I am. So why is this man even paying attention to me? Because I’m being forced to be here? 

None of that matters like unsettled dust in my head it dissipates and I am physically tethered here by his attentive mouth and hands. I feel so small against him. When his mouth isn’t smothering against mine he’s finding unexplored spots on my body. Some bites are harsh, some soft, but both I fear are trying to end in the same result. When I reward him with a slight groan I can feel his lips play into a smirk against my skin and he tests the spot again and again drawing out more noises from me. Noises I never thought I was capable of making. 

The cartilage in my nose was sore and aching and yet I craved more from his sinful lips. I ran my fingers through the soft fanning of his hair surprised at just how silky it really was. I assumed her was the type to use gel to tame the cowlicks that sprouted in odd spiked patches but yet it fit him and I couldn’t imagine him with a different style. 

He has a sensuous taste to his skin. I never would have imagined sweat to be something I’d be attracted to since I myself hated every time I did so in the operating rooms. Yet I embraced it and enjoyed the salty taste against my tongue.I really needed to stop doing this...comparing him to my terribly boring experiences outside this, but it was new and confusing and I took comfort in these thoughts. Like—-how I’ve touched my fair share of male bodies living and dead but never tentatively like this. 

I took a moment to explore this newfound sensation. I found that when he flexed the wings of his shoulder blades moved and I oddly found that to be a turn on for me. I liked the shape of his bones. God Sakura, now you really do sound like a freak. But I did...I liked the way his biceps were like shields for the strong bones beneath and that this annoyingly attractive man was putting all his efforts into making me feel—-good. 

Not good like—I went on a shopping spree or had a me day. This was on a totally different level than all that. And it certainly blew them out of the water. I crave the way he hungrily looks at me with half lidded eyes, the way he steals those little moments behind his brothers back to look over his shoulder to me. The way his tongue curves around my name in a sensual tone that he never uses for anything else. 

Just like the way he’s using it right now to nibble at the sensitive nerves wishing my ear. He nibbles my lobe prompting an airy moan on my part which I really tried to stifle. I really do hate that he’s getting all these privately intimate gestures out of me. But like I said I was lost in this plume of erotic copulation. 

His large palms smooth over the flat of my stomach heading straight for the things I guard the most and are self conscious of. I instinctively wrap my arms around my chest pushing my small mounds together in an effort to cut him off before he can realize just how lacking I am in that department.

He pauses his ministrations to look at me with furrowed brows. He looks a lot younger when he does that...its almost...no, don’t say cute. Because let’s just call this what it is. I’m being selfish and enjoying the attention that’s always lacking in my life. I can only survive on my relationships for so long before the loneliness steeps its way back into my private and quiet moments.

“Don’t.” Is he seriously playing the power trip guard again? Really?! I’m about to open my mouth and scold him when I read his expression this time and there’s sincerity in his face and voice, not seniority for me to comply. 

Slowly my tight grip loosens, but I don’t let my arms fall away completely. I don’t think I can do that on my own. His long fingers touch against my forearms disarming me and for another annoyingly judgmental thought I think he’s just using his lizard male perverted pig brain to gape at what most men do want to look at. My bare boobs. And yet—-he’s looking directly into my eyes. He isn’t rolling up my shirt in his warm palms wake. 

I don’t really have anything to look at but—-he’s making this feel terribly personal with the way he’s keeping his eyes solely directed onto mine and feeling the shape of them rather than gawking like most of the men I knew did. I shiver when the gruff balls of his fingers roll over the sensitive beads of my nipples. I take in a sharp breath sealing it inside my lungs for a few beats. His eyes travel to my parted lips and his thumbs backtrack to the same spots. 

I heave my chest up into his to hide my breasts away from his prying hands. This is way too embarrassing, even for me. I know this is what men and women do. I know it complicates things. But this is my first time, and I haven’t exactly had experience in the affairs of the heart. Does he really like my expressions this much that he’s willing to make me feel embarrassed about them? Well—-I haven’t exactly told him this but...

With a free hand he pushes my levitating midsection back onto the mattress and I comply in silent resignation. He abandons my chest to span a gentle thumb over my cheek and I can feel his fingers tickling against my ear threading through my hair and massaging against my scalp. I hum in response. 

He brings his body closer hovering over me but not resting the heavy weight that I feel would crush me. This kiss is more intimate. The flame is at a dull roar and I want us to get back to where we were minutes ago. I want to go into this blindly without slowing and having the chance to overthink things like I usually tend to do.

I set the pace, I bite and lick at his tongue and we part out lips with a glistening spit trail that falls between us. His tiers touch down against my stomach making me giggle a little. He briefly lifts his eyes and the severity in them quiets me while I blush and gradually turn back into a woman instead of a child. I suppress anymore childish outbursts of giggle fits and squirm beneath his grasp as he places volcanic kisses to my inner thighs. Once again my face resigns to a red tinge and my knees are the next thing to want to lock together.

I have to force myself to keep from instinctively doing so. I showered but I still don’t want him to even get the idea that going down on me is an option. I’m not quite ready to have someone taste me. I imagine my flavor is probably rotten garbage. I remember Ino telling me that when Shikamaru and her were dating at the time in high school he ate her out after a high school dance and he remarked that she was bittersweet. 

I’m just rearing myself into further turmoil. This is  not  the time to be thinking about those things!!! 

I sit up quickly yanking his chin up so his attention is on me. He looks at me confused but crawls back to my upper half. I’d gladly let him fondle my breasts than go down on me right now. 

Apparently it doesn’t take much to get him hard because I can feel the tight bulge in his pants pressing against my stomach. I didn’t realize either until just right now that I even effected him this much. Just knowing that is enough to make my clothes feel suddenly too tight against my own skin. I’ve never had sex but I do know that I want him. And I want him inside me, my walls are pulsing, my clit keeps getting sharp signals whenever he does those sexy grunts that I found when I pressed my own teeth against his throat, and my panties are slick with need. 

I roll up his shirt, he helps by guiding the hem up and takes over by pulling them free from his broad body. I flush looking him over subjecting him as an object the way I thought he was going to do seconds ago with my breasts. I reprimand myself and find it only fair to allow him to see me just as naked as he is. I brace myself this time knowing I’m inviting him to gawk at my bare body as I slip off the thin veil of clothing I had on in the first place. 

As expected, he captures this moment into his memory and lingers longer than I’d like but I finally pull his attention back to my face when I let out an impatient pouty noise.

I touch the solidified ripples of his skin. I feel every mountain, peak, and valley that makes up the man known as Sasuke. I enjoy the sharpness of his hipbones against my palms, the way his skin hardens upon his pecks yet gradually smooths and then bumps against his abdomen. I feel the creases next to his hip bones and travel the tips of my fingers down the curving slope of his back. I hum as he distracts me with his mouth while freeing his bondage and tossing his pants somewhere in the corner of the room.

I can feel it now. It’s hot, throbbing, and the veins pulsate with warm blood making his cock stand to attention. All this is the result of...me. I never in a million years thought I, me, Sakura, could provoke this from a man. That they would want me this much that they literally made a flaccid organ erect and wanting. I felt power in knowing this. I felt odd instinctual womanly raw pride in knowing I turned somebody on this terribly. My cunt clenches, and my clit sends a ripple of electricity to the butterflies in my stomach.

I want to feel it...as I reach down to touch it I’m taken aback by the sharp intake of  his  breath. Do I really have this much control over someone who literally was forcing me to be controlled? He hisses through his teeth as I gingerly touch the warm member feeling the entire length and fondling the base. He grunts and gives a small sexy  tch  while his teeth ground together and his jaw clenches. I feel the veins pulsating, the heat of it all. I think back to my sophomore years in school when us girls were developing and the boys started trying to visualize what it would be like to touch boobs.

I remember Naruto comparing them to being like sandbags. Choji said maybe they were more soft like ripe melons. Shikamaru naturally, having already had his own experience boasted that there is nothing that can compare in shape, weight, or softness. They just are. And the same is true for the male genitalia. It’s hard to describe to myself what the feel of his balls against my palm feel like, but I like it and I know they’re just as sensitive as his dick so I give a gentle squeeze prompting another almost elbow buckling response. 

“ Sakura. ” This time I can tell just by the tone in his voice that its meant to be a warning. His eyes flicker a dangerous shade of slate gray and I watch as the jewels in his eyes shutter as he grounds through his teeth gruff words. “Doctor or not, I’m not here to be examined. I’m here to fuck you senseless. Apparently I’m not doing a good job of the senseless part.” Without any more warning he’s disappearing from view and once again I’m left bewildered as he spreads my legs. I was wet, he can go in he has the green light to do so! 

His wet tongue overlaps my own stickiness and feels a thousand times better than my own natural lubrication. I let out a startled cry as he laps it around my folds drawing nearer to the entrance of my pussy. My fingers twist tightly into the sheets and I’m grateful he hooked my legs over his shoulders because while he’s licking the sensitive petals of my outer labia I’m curling my toes and bracing the back of my legs against him. I bite my lip as he stretches two fingers into me and at first its a little sore but I realize what he’s doing.

I don’t need to tell him I’m a virgin, he can feel that by the resistance of my pussy. His tongue swirls around the hood of my clit while his fingers work on opening me up so I’ll be able to take to the shape of his cock. My heart is pounding in my chest but I’m not backing down. I’ve come too far to chicken out and I’ve regretted a lot of things in my life but I’ll be damned if I miss out on this too. I writhe beneath him as his fingers stay to the archway of my pussy and then eventually going further and further inside me while his tongue distracts me.

The pressure of it against my clit sends me over the edge and he makes good on that damned promise of making me go senseless and I do. I see the edges of my vision go white, my eyes close and roll to the back of my head, I buck my hips into his face and he uses his free hand to keep me from painfully hitting against his nose as I ride my orgasm out. I call out his name and once he’s done taking everything I give him he hovers over me once more and is fitting my ass into his palms lifting my hips up.

For a brief moment he yields looking into my hazy eyes. But I don’t stop him. He slides in slowly. It’s tight, it hurts for a second and he helps by going slowly until the friction feels good and I urge him to go faster by the pace of my moans. The angle of his cock hits just the right spot inside me and I moan loudly against his neck. He grins wickedly and aims to keep hitting it with a faster and faster pace. I can barely match my breath with his smooth and graceful motion. 

It wont take long. This I know from my studies. The first time usually is fast for both parties because of they’re attraction to one another. And that will be alright with me. I’ll learn how to draw out longer awaited orgasms. But for now I know we’re both at our limits. I can feel my cunt bringing a delicious wave of pleasure and my body is ready to cum. His cock twitches, his balls tighten, I know he’s ready to spill his seed into me. His abdomen is rubbing against my clit and its making me dizzy with pleasure. 

Every factor is really. The way the sweat glistens off the thin sheen upon his body, the matted bangs swept in odd angles against his brow, the way his brows furrow when my pussy vibrates. The way he grunts during each wave. All this is keeping me from worrying about the bit of blood coating his dick and even the sound of his balls slapping against my ass and the slick sloshing of our juices is sending me into a blinding euphoria. 

His muscles tense, mine tremble, and we both draw closer and I buck up into him while he thrusts and bucks riding his release out through jerky spurts. His thick cum is hot. Hotter than the blood in his dick. It feels like lava melting my insides and even this makes me throw my head back and moan praising him by calling out his name over and over again. He says mine once and with a firm palm clenched against my side as he drains his dick inside me. I know I’ll have the guilt of todays events marked upon my body in bruised perfect matching blooms of his fingertips.

I don’t care. I want a testament of today. We come back down, for a second we revel in the heaving of our chests, the glow, the intimate seconds we spend drowning in one another’s eyes and then we concede to one another’s company utterly spent.

We say nothing more after that and I’m too exhausted to kick him out or argue with him further as though we never left the bookmarked page of our argument. Instead, he lays beside me. It’s too personal to face him to I try to make it slightly impersonal by laying so my back was to his chest and he accepts this concession by wrapping his arms around me and drawing the covers over both our warm bodies. 

Sleep takes him first, I take a tic longer because as always my brain is working overtime. Sex makes things complicated. It really does. So now that this has happened, what will transpire from here? Will he be more lenient with me? Will there be odd favoritism that it drives a wedge between Hinata and I? Where do I go after I’m free? Will there be a  we  with Sasuke and I? I’m too tired to keep myself awake with these lingering doubts. Either way one thing is for sure, from here on out I can feel it deep in my bones something is about to change. I just hope its for the better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh Lordy things got steamy in here. Anyway I hope you enjoyed this section because it just couldn’t be mindless sex with Sakura xD She’s always thinking, always trying to improve herself so I had to capture that even if I did want this to be a quick fucking lol. So now for the dun dun dun part, next chapter things start to fracture and crumble :o !!!
> 
> And the talk will be the next chpt x3
> 
> —- I now have a designated tumblr !!! F0rce0fnatur3 —-


	12. The Talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello faithful loves. Here is some backstory !

** C H A I N S **

Sex makes everything complicated. I know you’ve probably read those lines in romantic novels or have heard them in the cheesy romance movies but its true. And I know I’ve been overthinking things lately but all that feels like its melted away. Guess I really did need that to clear my system. I can see now why Hinata told me I was “pent up”. Guess I never really understood what that entailed until it literally left my body in my first orgasm. Then on my second, and third, and I’ll just chalk this up to I feel like all the tension in my body left and now I feel like I could float. Right up to that damned ceiling. 

I’m the first to awaken. I look over at the man laying upon his stomach, arms swept around one of my designated pillows and breathing deeply. His nose is buried giving me a view of his face from the bridge up. He looks harmless when he’s like this. I know better. I trace the shape of him with my eyes before rolling to my back after pulling on a shirt discarded beside my bed. What have I done? I’ve complicated the situation myself. I gave in to temptation and furthered my own demise. Really Sakura where the hell is this supposed to take you? 

Ah, here comes the felon couple strolling down the street happy but in secret they both have blood on their hands. I really am such an idiot. I press my palms into my eye sockets biting my lower lip to keep from crying. I really muddled things up this time. Oh I wont get Stockholm Syndrome. It could never happen to me yet here is the result of that, the proof lulling in a deep slumber next to me still smelling of sweat and musk. And I want to distance myself, to pull away right now, so why am I still attracted to that scent. What the hell is wrong with me?! 

I fold to my side looking at him. I could do it while he’s off guard. I don’t have the strength to put my hands around his throat and suffocate him. But I could...he rolls to his back startling me. I pretend to sleep but he doesn’t stir after that. I trace his anatomy. Even beautiful things are killers Sakura. Kill one, save many. But how many are ready to take up his trade as a replacement? It doesn’t matter. I have to do this. 

Slowly I make my way onto his midsection. I press my thighs to his outer legs locking him in place with my core and frame. I gingerly lift my pillow but something on the bedside catches my attention instead. I never even noticed him putting his weapons on the stand at the bedside. I pick up the large pocketknife unsheathing the blade. I place it under the slope of his chin and neck stinging his skin enough to stir him awake. 

His hooded gaze lands on me. He feigns no surprise. If I linger too long I’ll psyche myself out. I can already feel my nerves fraying and my wrist will begin shaking soon unless I stable it. I use my free hand to encompass my wrist locking my arm in place. I’m keeping the sight of his hands in my peripheral to ban any movement. Ready to spring off him at a moments notice if need be. 

“What a way to go. Even I wouldn’t slice a woman’s throat afterwards.” He’s referring to our hour long shagging session. I truly have been out of the game if I’m using a seventies reference to sex. 

“Stop talking.” I keep my voice low and growly. I don’t want to wake up the elder brother who would easily throw me off him. It hits me. This is considered my second chance, my second offense. Third will come without warning. But it won’t if I apply pressure to my hands right here and now and jam the blade up through his tongue. I don’t have to strike to kill, if I can hit an artery he’ll bleed out.

“Go ahead. I’m not going to stop you.” I can feel the tremors in my hand. It will disrupt my locked joints if I don’t keep my head level.

“I said shut up.”

“I mean really. It’s not a bad way to go. Under these soft thighs of yours.” His hand moves, I hesitate and prepare to jump away. I shutter when the balls of his fingers glide across the span of my knee up to my hip. 

“Stop!” I forgot. Don’t wake up the other one.

He puts his hands up in answer and lets them rest at his sides again. 

“We don’t have all night Sakura. Either do it or let me get up and get something to eat. You and the purple hair probably will be starving.” How can he idly prattle on casually as though I’m not a threat willing to spear his tongue to the roof of his mouth? 

“You’re not scared?”

“I stopped being afraid of death a long time ago Sakura. If this is how I go I’d rather it be you than at the hands of some disgusting pig.” I cant control it anymore. My hands are blatantly trembling. I keep the blade steady. 

“What did you need to talk to me about...” His eyes flicker. It’s too fast to pin down and his face softens. His jaw loosens from its clench, his chest is no longer preparing to take a blow and he breaths softly not holding his breath any longer. I can feel him relax into the bed as I sink point three centimeters lower than before. 

“Take the knife away and I’ll tell you. It’s hard to talk with you shaking so badly.” No. I need it for security. “You can hold onto it if you’d like, just move it away from my hyoid bone. Please.” I still, shocked. Perhaps he was trained in anatomy for the soul purpose of knowing how to kill someone efficiently. 

I don’t resist when he snatches my wrist, I let out a startled gasp but he isn’t rough when he draws my hand away from his throat. I let both my fists gripping the knife still, stay aimed at him, fall into my lap.

“I’ve done so many jobs. Held all different races, creeds, and ages hostage. Like you, they beg, they plead, and they barter in order to escape. We are not responsible for the predicament you’re in.”

“Bullshit!”

“You imposed on us remember? I watched you leave that night, I watched as you took a cab and went home. What I didn’t expect was for you to come back to check on your friend. You gave me no choice.”

“Whatever! You’re still a criminal and you kidnapped us and now you’re holding us hostage for money!”

“We are but the second party. The hired hands and muscle to carry out the dirty work of fat lazy men that throw around wealth and power to flash their dicks in the faces of those inferior to them just to piss on their face and force them to bow just to get what they want.”

“I don’t...understand that reference.”

“Of course you don’t. You are a worker bee caught in the cog of life droning on in your little bubble of peace and tranquility. As it should be. But in the shadows this world is more corrupt than you could ever imagine. Do you know how many people get trafficked in and out of the city you live in? It’s a miracle you didn’t fall into this pit sooner.”

“You’re still a criminal, don’t justify your actions.”

“Ah yes, little miss princess. Do I judge you for your circumstances?”

“Circumstances? Ha! There’s no possible explanation as to why you chose this life other than you want to cheat the system and get rich quick!” His eyes darken. Black bottomless eddies swirling amidst the gray sheen of black.

“Yeah, having your entire family killed by one of those assholes swinging their dicks comfy in their red velvet chairs isn’t justifiable at all.” I stiffen. He’s lying. He’s trying to plea to the humanity still inside me as well as the female compassion that I can’t help shut out. It’s engrained in the very fiber of my DNA. Males and females really are two different creatures. But, his sob story wont sway me...

“Bullshit.”

He rolls his eyes. “I don’t need to convince you or prove myself to you but I’m going to tell you the story anyway and you’re going to listen. Got it?”

I can feel my fingers numbing. 

“Once upon a time there was a happy prestigious family minding their P’s and Q’s going through life in their happy bubble. Their father worked extra hard as a salesman, their mother, a nurse. It’s an easy boy meets girl situation. The father was building an empire from the ground up with nothing but one hundred dollars in his pocket. It begins to take shape and an honest corporation for building vehicles blossoms. He marries his sweetheart, two years later she becomes pregnant and births an heir to this successful franchise. Five years blissfully go by and they have another son. Now you think there would be sundering between the elder brother and younger one but there isn’t. All is well. Until, that business catches the eye of a local scumbag who seeks to exploit its wealth and was born with a smooth silver tongue. A fake friendship builds for eight years until finally the plan to usurp everything my father built takes shape and comes to fruition. Dads closest friend literally stabs him in the back, forces him to sign a contract that hands the kingdom over to him in a legally binding agreement, and to secure his stronghold he gets his hired goons to wipe out the family. The brothers recede into the shadows defeated sole survivors. Another scumbag comes along takes these naive siblings under his wing and manipulate them into skilled killers. Both go to college, the one must hone his skills without the younger one for five more years until he is finally able to graduate and join him in the field. They’re naturals. They get a fearsome reputation. They exact revenge. Get the corrupted kingdom back and dismantle it. Now they are left with nothing but an empty feeling inside them and they have skills that will become rusty and useless should they stay frozen in the dark, idle. So they decided to pick themselves back up using what they learned to create a business they weren’t born into but bent into and made a new reputation that precedes them both. Now they regularly take jobs, for the highest bidders and gain a long list of names waiting for us to take said cases which I might add, we’ve never failed at carrying out, and it continues to grow. The end.”

It’s a lot to process. I feel...bad....somewhere during the story which isn’t a story at all, clearly it happened as he sarcastically tells me everything, the knife fell from my hands. I feel hollow inside. If all this is true then how can they even stand to be humans? How do they stand being around the same people that smashed them to pieces only to build both the brothers back up into fucked up former images of themselves. 

He looks at me for a long while and I him. It’s been a long time since I couldn’t think of words to say something. Then it comes like a gentle rain and I softly speak in lieu of the silence.

“Why would you tell me this.”

“It wasn’t the only thing I wanted to confess. The thing I most wanted to admit and “talk to you” about was my feelings for you.” Everything goes in reverse. It gets stuffed back inside me as it runs backwards. His words, the night we had together, me running in the woods, the car ride here, going to Hinata’s apartment. It all runs back inside me and I feel like I’m going to explode. I shove off and away from him stumbling into the wall.

“No.”

He rolls to his side resting his jaw against his propped palm. 

“What’s done is done and cant be undone Sakura.” My name comes softly from his tongue. The weight of a feather floating freely through the air untilit reaches my ears and crushes me. 

“Stop.” He grunts getting to his feet while circling the sheets like a halo around his waist tucking in the extra fabric at the hips to secure the lose weight.

“I told you to stop!” I throw my hand up in an effort to create a barrier. As usual he uses his cocky swaggering stroll to close the gap between us ignoring my order. I use the only weapons I have. My palm connects to his cheek. We both still in shock and I begin my barrage of assaults by hitting and punching any solid mass I can make my fists come into contact with. It’s futile. Like drops of rain ricocheting off pavement. 

He presses his body to mine sandwiching me to the wall and himself. I crumble into his embrace. He let me hit him. As weak as they were it was a stupid outlet on my part to regain some semblance of control. I look up at him with shiny green eyes feeling the warmth of our pressed bodies share a kinetic friction. He swipes my tears away with his thumbs. I promised myself over and over I wouldn’t give in. My resolve has always held up strongly. 

Yet, this arrogant bastard...is my weakness. I haven’t accepted that yet. I deny and deny it. I refuse to acknowledge this whole fucked up situation. 

“No you don’t.”

“I’ve spent months monitoring you. Studying you. You don’t think-“

“No! It’s just the coincidence of spacial reasoning! You  think  you like me just because we are sharing the same occupied space. If it wasn’t me it’d be another woman.”

“I already told you I’ve seen every type. Every shape. Every color. Each has a different personality. Each one came and went one way or another and never has one stirred my soul this profoundly until you’r...fucking nosy little self popped through those apartment doors and inserted herself into things. I’ve seen some break, I’ve seen some stay resilient. Hell, I’ve even caused some relationships to crumble.”

“That’s not something to brag about.”

“I’m not. Trust me. I’d rather not have all this on ones mind but my own...what I’m saying is all these jobs blur together. Not once has someone stood out aside from you.” I scoff.

“Sex really does make men say stupid things, myself included.”

“This isn’t about my dick and your wet pussy Sakura. This is about the feelings before we fucked, and the ones still lingering after. Jesus, men don’t openly talk about their feelings. We’re hardened shells. Simple. We say what we mean and we just do things. Women have to dissect, bisect, and do all this shit. But here I am pouring my heart out to you, something I don’t fucking do, and all I want in return is for you to hear me. I say what I mean, and I mean what I say.”

“N-now you sound like a Dr. Seuss book.” I keep my gaze intentionally averted from his. Yes women do warfare differently. Men are straightforward. Basic. So why do we have to be there other halves and have the harder circumstances? Be complicated?Why do our minds have to constantly buzz? Why do we aim for the weak spots mentally while men just use what they have to bash in their enemies faces? I know he’s being candid. It mustn’t be easy to expose himself. I’m one to talk. We share the same genetic makeup in that aspect...but when you look deeper we’re made up of completely different structures. 

“Sakura.” I look at him, barely, through my lashes and then back to anywhere but his eyes. I settle on his collarbone since its in my focal point. 

“What?” Everything inside me has been shaken and put back together wrong. He’s right...my bubble has been burst and now I needed to see things on the darker side, not just the light. How many times have I had patients wheeled in, shady characters with shitty backstories as to how they obtained the sharpened pipe sticking out of their side? How many times have I gone to the children’s ward where there lives nothing but empty shells sitting there on the ends of their beds stuck inside their heads to avoid reliving terrible memories? 

“Just hear my words. And think on them. That’s all I ask.” He lets me go. I suddenly feel cold without his heated body touching mine and I can’t summon him back. He’s gone. And he’s left me with no other choice  but  to think on them.   


Bastard...


	13. Revelation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is short bc it’s been a busy week >.<

** C H A I N S **

I was unaware of the events that took place downstairs after Sasuke left me. I hadn’t realized that I fell back asleep totally exhausted and by the time I showered and ripped the sheets away from the bed wishing I could toss them out the window, that’s when I caught sight of the feud in the driveway. 

I watched as Itachi struck Sasuke across the face. He still remained impassive while the elder screamed at him. Then the blows became heavier. His knuckles cracking across the lower jaw of his young sibling sending him reeling to the left. He stumbled and regained composure. But then another blow, this time to the other cheek, open palmed. 

I felt tears forming in my eyes, burning. I could no nothing but watch as Sasuke was yanked to his feet by the collar of his shirt and the elder inaudibly screaming something a mere two inches from his face. I watched the purple bloom swell against the corner of his lip, blood trickling over the side of his mouth as he allowed the elder to continue his wrath. 

Eventually his anger subsided and he left Sasuke to loiter in his spot dazed and seemingly confused. He brushed the tips of his fingers against the tender flesh wincing slightly before turning and entering the house. I imagine getting ice is in order. 

For some reason I got the urge to help him, then again it is in my nature to do so due to my profession. When I reached the door I met no resistance. I thought it odd but didn’t have time to dwell on why it was left open. I raced down the steps until I came across a sagged Sasuke slumped in a chair. He sits with his back towards me but I can tell he’s exhausted.

He’s cradling his good cheek against his palm and has a poorly wrapped pack of ice touching against the sensitive swell on the other side. I go to the fridge without saying a word looking for whatever I can find and then rummage through the cupboards. Like so many times before I can feel his eyes upon me.

I find the first aid casting aside the generic brand of bandaids stuffed at the top finding the ointment and a couple other expensive brands I’m not familiar with. I pull a chair adjacent from him planting my bottom firmly on the wood and parting his legs to slide up to meet his height. 

I gingerly move his fingers and get to work on dabbing with a wet cloth at the corner of the dried blood. I assess the other side next, not so bad, looks like that was just a warning. I imagine the younger one easily able to push the buttons of his brother without hesitation and I don’t question what type of rivalry ensued during the argument.

“Does he know?” I look up through my lashes, keeping my face in idle irritation but keep it at bay too concerned with completing the task of getting the swelling down.

“I told him.”

“Why?” I wasn’t expecting him to be so brutally honest. 

“We were discussing what it is we should do with you. I made the mistake of profoundly stating we should let you go.”

“And he took that as us having relations?”

“Apparently.” He winces when the pressure on my fingers increases as I apply the ointment. I grab a bowl and fill a glass of water instructing him to swig, swish, and spit. The bowl fills with diluted blood that starts out red but gradually turns a pinkish tinge. 

“Were you really...going to...” 

“Not anywhere here. I didn’t tell him the specifics but I drummed something up yesterday when I was watching you sleep.” My cheeks turn the same shade as my hair. I draw back. 

“What?!”I bite my lower lip completely embarrassed that he actually gawked at me while I was passed out. 

“I was willing to withdraw some money and set you up somewhere in the tropics. Not all of it, but just enough for you to live comfortably. Don’t want you getting a big head and me having a reputation as a sugar daddy.” He smirks and winces when he slights his eyes in my direction.

I wanted to use my own twitching palm to connect with his smug arrogant face! But I withhold it and remind myself he’s just baiting me. 

“Sasuke!” I bark back at him. He chuckles softly before withdrawing away from me to put his full weight against his chair. His foot lifts and connects with the edge of my seat and he begins to scoot the legs back pushing me away.

“I can hire my own nurse. Relax.”

I roll my eyes at him and cross my arms not arguing with the gap he’s put between us.

“Why hasn’t the Hyuga family paid?” Sasuke seems to be chewing on something. Mulling it over in his head. I can see it through the crack of his mask. He straightens drawing in a deep breath looking to me.

“They did. It’s the person we’re working for. Like all who get greedy he wants more. He wants to secure the future of his family in the next...I don’t know, hundred years or so and therefore wants to usurp their empire.”

“Your boss?”

“Temporary one. He hired us, so.” He shrugs his shoulders crossing his legs by the ankles and propping his hands behind his head.

“Usually it doesn’t get to Itachi, but this asshole is proving to be more trouble than he’s worth. He asks for the impossible and demands a restricting service from us.”

“If they paid you have to release her!”

“If we did that then Danzo would know, and if he knows she’s returned he outs our business. We stay out of the media for a reason.”

“Then leave the business and get honest jobs.”

“Listen princess, it isn’t easy like that. I can’t just snap my fingers and poof we live normal lives. Danzo has a far reach, no matter where we’d run, how deeply we could hide, he would find us and snuff us out.”

I fiddle with the end of my shirt.

“What if...what if she lays low?”

“I can’t trust her. Not even by your word. Sorry Sakura.”

I bow my head sullen. “This isn’t fair...” He watches me as I shove up and away from my seat making my way to Hinata’s room opening the door with ease. She sits on the chair she’s come to like while observing the woods out her window. 

“Hinata...”

“I know.” I stand there stunned. She just smiles her soft Hinata smile at me.

“You know what?” 

“Why do you think I offer no resistance?”

“You can’t be serious! You knew?!”

“After you escaped Itachi came into my room to ask your whereabouts. He laid everything out for me since I’ve been cooperating. It was...a pleasant talk considering what happened.”

“Hinata!”

“I wanted to tell you. I did. I even pleaded to the man our age to let you go unpunished after I found out the truth. I really did Sakura.”

I frown sitting across from her at the bedside.

“And you’re alright with this?”

“I am. They really haven’t hurt us Sakura. We’ve been treated with kindness and fed.”

“You have to feel...angry that you’re put into this situation!”

“I am. But you know me. I wont outwardly show it and despite them doing what they did I bear them no ill will. I put all my anger on this Danzo character. I’ve never heard of him but I bet father has. I trust in him and them to deliver us safely back home.” 

“How can you blindly put your faith in everyone like that?! We don’t even know these people!”

“Sakura...you’ve gotten feelings for the man our age, don’t you?” I stutter and quiet.

“I-I...”

“I know you have. There’s no denying it. The dynamic between you two has changed so much and even you’ve started to lose your hostility towards them.” I look away from her ashamed. She touches her hand to the back of mine. 

“Don’t be ashamed. You will always be my friend and therefore I could never judge you for your actions. Not unless you purposely killed someone.” I shake my head at her. How can she be so light hearted like this. How can she take this situation lightly? Who the hell am I to judge her for being calm and accepting like this?

Didn’t I basically do the same thing when I drew Sasuke to me and kissed him? I dug my own grave of shame when we spent the night together. I sigh softly. 

“We all should talk. Get this out in the open now that they revealed their plans.”

“I agree. But we must wait for the elder to return.”

“I think he’s out on an angry drive right now.”

“He might be...but we don’t have to be held up in here.”

“S-Sasuke is downstairs though...” There’s a small quirk in her lips. 

“Ah, so you do know his name.” For the second time today my cheeks burn hotly.

“Y-yes.”

“Then let us join him.”

As we sit there awkwardly letting the ice melt through our silence we all begin to chat in small bites to one another. Eventually we talk out in the open...until the front doorknob turns...


	14. Wolf den

** C H A I N S **

When Itachi strolled through the door, composure regained, I knew it could easily be undone by a poorly made comment. I decide its best if I break the awkward tension given that I strongly felt had it been Sasuke who was to open his mouth to speak directly to his brother tempers would rekindle and flare back up. We’d get nowhere.

It took awhile but as the conversation melted the prickly layer from the elder we all gradually relaxed. We laid everything out on the table between us. No subject was unturned and in a way, as fucked up as this situation was, it made me feel a bit more at ease with being here. I knew based on Itachi’s reactions he stuck to a certain mainframe and it worked for a long time but the crimp in the deal was causing more trouble than the pay. I could see the stress in his tense jawline, could see it in his eyes and he mainly watched his younger brother for the usual cues to quiet on certain topics around us.

Now that we knew basically everything from the layout of the plan to what was to happen up until now, he didn’t need silent visual tells from Sasuke any longer. He crossed his arms tightly across his chest, I knew from my studies at college in psychology this was meant to be a way of creating a barrier of stability for him. He couldn’t control the situation at hand but he could wall himself off by his body language and expressions. Clearly he’s still not completely open to having Sasuke lay everything out in the open, however, it opened a new door that wasn’t available to them before.

We drew up our own countermeasure led basically by Hinata, and it was her job to sell it to Itachi. He told her he would have to think on it and I understood completely as did she. I wouldn’t want someone who knew nothing of my profession to come in and tell me how to operate on an open heart surgery especially on my turf. I think Itachi might have a soft spot for Hinata. This is solely based on my observation but—she has been nothing but cooperative through this whole hellish ordeal and I believe he’s grateful for that.

—- ... —-

Once again I’m restless and I can no longer stand finding new things in the pattern of the ceiling so I watch the moon make its ascension in an arc above the tree line. I haven’t seen Sasuke in two days since...that night. I’ve gotten really good at planting seeds of doubt in my head. Being alone doesn’t help the situation either. They just fester and eat away at my resolve. 

There’s a light wrapping of knuckles against my door, I perk slightly feeling a faint flutter in my chest which I squash thinking of this as more of a business transaction rather than finding out what it meant. The elders face comes through the threshold and the tickling in my chest is snuffed out completely. 

I sit up making my way to the edge of the bed. No cracks in his facade. 

“Evening.” Judging by the tone—though it sounds the same, yet I’ve somehow come to discern the temperaments of the brothers based off the situations at hand, I knew this wasn’t going to be a pleasant chat.

“Evening.” I offer back lightheartedly. 

“I’m aware of the situation.” I can’t help it when the entire top half of my body including my ears turns red in shame.

“I-I see.”

“It can’t continue.” 

“O-of course.” Not being able to look him in the eye I instead glance to the tray he’s holding with two strong smelling brews of tea. He sets them on the round table and I bite my tongue. Here we go again. I’m going to be subjugated to more humiliation and I have no one to blame but myself.

I sit taking a testing sip of the steep and savor the taste. These men are going to make me addicted to tea just as much as they were. Itachi sits across from me. I’ve had a lot of meals on this tiny thing. I think I’m actually going to miss it if I ever get out of here. Having my morning coffee and watching the sun rise has become one of my favorite things to do as I awake.

Even the knots in my muscles have dissipated with time and not having the heavy burden of saving lives every second of the day brought years back to my stolen ones and I have learned to genuinely relax. The tea helps too.

“It just happened on a whim I swear it.” He keeps his eyes glued to the surface of his cup.

“Hmm.” He doesn’t seem to be listening to me. He always seems distracted.

We’ve been sharing a cup of coffee or tea in the mornings that it had become ritualistic habit. During the times I wasn’t in trouble that is. Or when he was out doing whatever it is he does to make things go smoothly. I imagine he has to meet constantly with this Danzo asshole an appease his temper...a lot. It’s almost enough to make me feel sympathetic for the brothers but, this is the path they chose and all I want is to make it out of this safely with Hinata and I intact.

“Itachi?” His dark eyes linger a bit longer in front of him before meeting mine. I can see how very tired he is. No matter how prestige and sharp his appearance always seems, I can see the weight of the world like a stone in the middle of his eyes.

“You’re a doctor. I forget that about you at times. I’ve used natural remedies and I’m a big believer on them, do you have any advice in that category in reducing stress?”

“Obviously, chamomile tea,” I raise my cup noting its the preferred dealers choice of the day this morning. “And lilac scents are also excellent. You know, those diffusers? If you let it linger in the air an hour before bed it will do you wonders. I’ve had to rely on it a couple of times myself before a big morning.”

“I see. That’s helpful. Thank you.” He must be troubled if he hasn’t even nursed the top of the cup. The steam eventually dissipates leaving it cold and terrible tasting should he choose to reach for it again.

“Was there...anything else you needed to talk about? I may be ignorant to what’s happening but I am a good listener should you need my ear.” Nothing. I look down at my hands picking at a cuticle until a small well of blood beads and smears across my nail. Something white blots my vision and a grim but gentle hand clamps down around the small stinging self made cut. 

“Thank you.” We’re both silent until I look up at him and give him a slight smile. “You’ve been nothing but kind to me. I appreciate that. O-oh and Hinata too. Thank you.”

“Don’t ever thank a criminal. Especially one that stole you away from your normal life.” He takes his leave and I’m left to take up the napkin until the blood clots and I sigh softly retreating back to my mattress.

—- . . . —-

When I go back down to the kitchen by the next morning I’m assuming I’ll be greeted by Itachi but instead see Sasuke siting there eating what looks to be a tomato. I raise a brow as he bites into the plump side careful not to let any juice dribble. With a cheek full he glances as I walk in and swallows it in one hard gulp discarding it. 

I sit beside him looking over his profile. The swelling is going down and I have no doubt soon the purple will blossom into faint blooms of yellow. 

“Something on my face?” I’d prefer not to be teased. I scowl at him crossing my arms defensively.

“Funny. Where’s your brother?”

“Getting food for the week. Why did you have something special you wanted? I can still text him.”

“No.” How do I get the courage to confront him? I know it has to stop. I do. But feeling like a woman for the first time in my life is a euphoric addiction that’s hard to squash. No matter how hard I try to numb myself by staying awake at night just to prepare.

“What?”

“What happened the other night cannot happen again.” Any playfulness that danced in his eyes seconds ago is gone. Now the brevity of the situation is transparent and we don’t have to have things remain tense and awkward anymore.

“Sure.” God this man is infuriating. Sure? As if nothing really did happen? Oh you know I didn’t let him have sex with me or eat me out or anything. 

“Good. Glad you understand.”

“Yes.” Another awkward pause. We look at one another for a few more seconds and like a volt of electricity our bodies collide. I fumble out of my chair into his arms as it flings back in response to the back of my legs springing off. He catches me simultaneously as he sets me on my back against the tabletop. I wrap my arms around his neck scrunching my nose when I taste the tomato juice still glistening upon his bottom lip. 

His tongue glides over mine, the spongy texture alighting all my nerves. I press into him as he holds me down sandwiched between his body and the table. I whine against his lips eager for the ache between my moist legs to be sated. I feel like a teenager again, our hands our intertwined over one another’s body in sloppy hurried motions. 

I loop my toes into the waistline of his pants dipping my toes beneath the fabric. His mouth is on my throat, head under my shirt, trailing up between the valley of my breasts. I arch my head back bumping my head against the glass salt shaker. I just want it away from my head, I send it crashing to the floor before getting my other leg looped over his waist and then we both hear the softness of a voice and immediately separate.

“What was that?” Hinata comes in just as we take our seats. I quickly brush down my mussed hair smoothing the knotted strands out and he does the same. A split second later she emerges through the threshold and Sasuke and I couldn’t look any guiltiest. His cheeks are slightly flushed, a corner of his shirt is rumpled exposing the hardened muscles beneath, and I myself look like a disheveled wanderer coming out of a tangle of branches.

I clear my throat and watch as she looks between us confused. Now her ivory cheeks start getting color. 

“Wh-what?”

“E-everything a-alright?”

“Of course! Why wouldn’t it be?!”

“I heard a crash.”

“Ssssssalt. S’ salt. There.”

Sasuke remains silent going to reach for the tomato that’s rolled under the table in our—moment of heat. I clear my throat kicking it tp the other side in order to hide it from her line of sight. 

“I was wondering if you could make something this morning Hinata...if that’s alright?” To avoid what’s really going on she moves quickly to the fridge making scrambled eggs and getting everyone orange juice and toast. 

“How did you sleep?” I quickly interject. She offers me a light smile politely taking the change of subject in order to get past the awkwardness. We keep out conversation light, I watch as she brushes her purple strands behind her ear while cutting into her eggs. 

“I’m glad we discussed everything the night before. Ever since then I feel I can sleep a lot better than before. I don’t have a constant sick feeling in the pit of my stomach.” Bad friend. I’ve been terrible in neglecting asking her how she herself has been fairing through this whole thing.

“Well I’m glad you’re feeling better. It must have made you feel a lot better knowing that your father did pay in full if not more to get you out.” 

“It does. I never had doubts but...” She looks at her plate struggling with that small seed of worry that it had been him who stalled us from getting out. Not that her father knew I was here too. I’m not even sure anyone noticed my absence aside from my coworkers and parents. It wasn’t unusual for me to be completely busy that I disappeared from my circle of friends in bouts. 

“I understand Hinata. You don’t need to explain.” She glances at Sasuke finally drawing him into our conversation too.

“How did you sleep?” He looks surprised. This was Hinata’s nature. She extended kindness to those who in my opinion shouldn’t get any! But I never intended to change her or how she presents herself to others. She gently draws other in with her fragile airy demeanor. Despite her being terribly shy she still comes from a pampered pedigree. She didn’t need to adopt good manners they were already engrained in her DNA. 

“I uh...yeah. Good.” He’s too embarrassed to remain at the table as the third wheel to our girl talk apparently. He busies himself by cleaning the pots and pans. 

Itachi comes back stuffing the arm full of bags away in the appropriate places. 

“I’ve thought over the plan.” Hinata and I turn about in our seats resting our arms over the back of the chair.

“I think it will work with some improvements and tweaks.”

“Did you get a call while you were out?” Sasuke inclines his head parking himself against the counter resting his tailbone against it.

“Several. Actually.”

“That’s his typical M. O.”

“I’ve begun putting things into place.” We silently exchange glances to one another.

“The problem is no one will be able to get close enough to get to Danzo without him becoming suspicious to an assassination.” 

I fiddle with my fingers in my lap nervously. The conversation muffles into background noise. I can feel my heartbeat in my ears focusing on the steady rhythm. Sasuke’ s batting around different ideas to which Itachi shoots down with plausible explanations. 

I swallow sharply and perk in my seat, “What’s his type?” Hinata already knows where I’m going with this, but the other two are lost playing catchup. 

“Sakura...” I put my hand up to her looking to the other two awaiting their answer.

“Type?” Sasuke asks raising a brow. Something washes over the elders face and now he’s on the same page as we are. 

“Small. Soft. Submissive.” Sasuke’ s truly lost. His brow furrows as he tries deciphering what we’re all putting out there.

“I would be a better candidate.” Hinata chimes in quickly.

“You can’t. He knows who you are.” She looks at me wearily. I flash her a confident Sakura smile and turn my attention back to Itachi. 

“No.” There Sasuke goes.

“It can work.”

“I’m not putting her in the field.”

“We have no choice.”

“I wont allow blood to be shed on her hands.”

“They already are bloodied. You forget, I’m a doctor. I’ve even had to pull the plugs on people who are dying Sasuke. Putting a drug in his drink in order to end this? I can do it.”

“No.”

We spend minutes going in circles amongst ourselves arguing and putting our counterpoints into the mix of this half hatched scheme. And just like that the underlying issue comes to the surface.

“I don’t want that piece of shits hands to be all over you.” His hands are curled into fists, his tooth digging into the bottom of his scabbed lip, and the tension in his framed shoulders are solid and unyielding. 

“Rule one, Sasuke.”

“Fuck the rules right now Itachi. I did get personally involved. Yes we had sex. But this is a whole different issue separate from that.” Hinata slowly looks at me embarrassed. Please Kami-sama. Just open up the floor and let me be swallowed by it.

Everyone is quiet and I’m silently begging someone to open their mouth because I feel like my fiery insides are going to combust and I’ll gladly turn to a pile of ash right now.

“It’s the only option we have.” Itachi repeats, this time with a softer rapport. The locked frame eases slightly and the stoop of his shoulders melt back in alignment with his collarbone.

“I really don’t like this fucking option.”

“I don’t think any of us do, its risky, dangerous, and half assed. But it makes sense and fits. We just have to hope that once she goes into the wolf den she can escape without every drawing attention to the others.”

I give Sasuke a reassuring smile that lasts only seconds because the hurt in his expression makes my heart constrict terribly. 

Yes I will be involving myself in this. Yes I am choosing to adopt their profession that I’m always putting down whenever I acknowledge it. But this is the only thing I can think of to gain my freedom in the quickest way possible. If I can infiltrate the hive and take down the leader without a hint of their involvement then they walk away freely as well as Hinata and I. But I also run the risk of the escort service that I have no doubt will be there as the entourage around Danzo will memorize the last person to be with Danzo and vow to hunt me down.

But hey, I bet their reach without their boss will eventually peter out and meanwhile I’ll be lounging about in the Bahamas soaking in the sunshine. Ah yes. A nice outcome. I’m not even going to think about the other alternatives. 

I stand folding my hands over my midsection and I nod to both of them.

“Tell me what I need to do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun dun duuun


	15. Cunning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chpt is long my lovelies but important. Also hint hint there may be a itasaku moment coming up.

** C H A I N S **

“Where’s Sasuke?” I pull down the hem of my dress making sure it fits snuggly against my outer thighs so it doesn’t ride up. Not the preferred choice I would have gone with but apparently if one was to catch Danzo’s attention they needed to dress flashy. Itachi had picked out a nice red cocktail dress which would be great if it wasn’t a snug fit and more to my level of comfort. 

“He’s staying back at the base to ensure Miss Hinata’s safety.” I’m sure that’s only half the truth. I make another inspection of the blonde wig making sure its secure and vowing to never wear another one ever again because its itchy and irritating.

“It wont be much longer.” It’s odd not being in the back or packed into the trunk, now that I’m slightly more at ease the interior of the seats is plush and comfortable. I feel a wave of fire course through my veins again and I adjust the seats temperature turning the knob as far as it can go on cold. 

I claw at the trimmed edges of my nail bedding hoping I can snag a piece of skin. Itachi’s hand gingerly glides across the interior stilling my fumbling fingers. 

“Breathe.” 

“Easier said than done.”

“Do you remember the plan?”

“Transparently.”

“Tell it to me again.” Honestly, why does he need me to rehearse something we’ve been going over every day, every second, for a month? I express my displeasure at the probing question by sighing and leaning back in my seat while he withdraws his hand.

“Draw his attention. Don’t make it obvious. Linger at the bar, order his favorite disgusting booze and sip on it in order to draw attention and ease into conversation about how we like the same drink.Hopefully my charm will grant me an invite up to his suite where he’ll try and small talk me but really we all know the real reason for his approach. We all assume he’ll be hands and want to get to it but its up to me to ensure that I’m able to slip away in order to slip the death pill into his...I mean our favorite drink, and then before things can progress I make a toast and let him chug back the rest of his glass. Then I make sure my hair looks disheveled, dress slightly askew and I exit with the walk of shame, freshly fucked, and ashamed bow of the head walk to the elevator. Then I slip back into the car with you.”

“How are your contacts?”

“Itchy.” He pulls out solution from his breast pocket. I take them depositing two drops in each eye blinking and glancing at the stranger looking back in my in the visor mirror. Blue eyes and blonde. 

“Do you have any questions?”

“Yeah. Do I get paid for this?” It was meant as a joke but apparently if one is on a job the elder is entirely serious.

“Like a queen.” I begin fiddling with my hands again.

“What will you do with the money?” Ah, I get it now. He’s trying to distract me and keep my nerves at bay. Start. Sharp. Professional.

“I think...I think I’ll build a children’s ward. Maybe enlist Hinata in being a director of the board that way she can run things when I choose to make my own time to go. She is right about one thing...I’ve become so absorbed in my job that I’ve been operating on auto pilot for a long time. Don’t get me wrong I love saving lives, I really do, but there’s more bad days that outweigh the good and...I think this change in pace will do me some good.”

He smiles lightly, so gently that it makes my heart flutter a beat. I’ve never seen him genuine expression before. He’s always putting on a facade that its actually nice when he lets his guard down. 

“Can I ask something?”

“Always.”

“Is this a first for you? Having the captives know about your job and doing this?”

“I can without a doubt say this is the most bizarre case we’ve had since starting the business.”

“Why did you start it?”

“After getting the short end of the stick. Sasuke and I aren’t ones to blame the world for our problems and curse society for what happened. There’s only one person who threw our life out of balance and we found and irradiated him as well as his accomplice.”

“So you decided to start a business because you what, got bloodlust?” 

“Because we needed to scrape from the bottom of the barrel in order to build ourselves back up.”

“So you save your earnings.”

“Of course.”

“And you haven’t gotten out yet because?” His eyes float to the dashboard, his jaw becoming tense, and his mask slipping slowly back on.

“Reasons.” Boundary crossed. I resume my worry position and take a deep breath.

“He’s here.” I sit on the edge of my seat feeling faint but I swallow hard and drive down the saliva by swigging down half of the chilled bottle of water in the cup holder. 

“Good luck.”

I nod. “I’ll see you at nine.”

The hotel Danzo chose is indeed luxurious. Leave it to the rich to have expensive tastes. The theme of this one is black and gold. I’m still unsure of where I am and at this point I could care less. I need to stay focused on the job at hand.

I stroll beneath the bow of large ivory pillars with delicately carved detail feeling the brush of the gauzy champagne colored curtains tied off with gold rope into the cocktail room. 

I draw a handful of eyes but they aren’t my target. I ignore them all especially the ones that approach and I brush off without giving them a glance. Some get desperate and hands to which I avoid by giving them a biting dirty look. 

Finally I reach the bar but ah, can’t be left alone without a male swooping in and whispering sweet nothings into the shell of my ear. I adopted a signature persona that night. One who who is a blonde bombshell but is only here for one purpose and when I get them in my sights no other man will do. Her catchphrase is “not interested” and I make sure she’s strong enough not to put up with the bruised ego of the men who set themselves up in the first place. That I took a little from Ino. It felt good being another person. Mysterious. Dangerous. 

I’ve studied the pictures Sasuke and Itachi printed off for me. He has a prominent X shaped scar on the butt of his chin, the top of his hair reminds me of a piper plant just a dark brown, and he usually likes to dress in white. Except for the time during a literal white party where he showed up in black. Asshole. The bridge of his nose is a little crooked as well. One brave soul actually got a crack at him with their fist before his cornets broke all his fingers and ripped off his nails. Itachi’s grim story, not mine.

Just to be in the same room as this piece of shit makes my skin crawl. I hope things go smoothly but like in books and movies there’s always a wrench that gets thrown into the plot. There will be nothing I can do should his guards station themselves inside the room. I don’t have the authority to make them go away. However, I can request it. I’ll do my best to purr the demand in his ear and if that doesn’t work I’ll shift tactics and use my inner Ino to outright demand him to do so or that’s as far as things get taken.

I order a Scotch. Not my preferred choice in the least. I actually like my beverages to have flavor and not just burn my taste and throat going down. The amber liquid glows like warm syrup in the cubic glass as the attendant smiles and gives me a wink when delivering it to the seat of my hand.

I look it over. Already I can smell the potent beverage and it makes my stomach shrivel. Another man has come to collect my services for the night but I ignore him to swivel in my seat to face Danzo who is engaged in heavy conversation with a few of his...”friends”. 

“Send one to my friend too please.” The bar keep pours a generous helping. 

“Shall I inform him who ordered it?”

“Please do.” Channeling Ino’s wiles is too much work. I don’t know how she can stay inflated for the whole day much less year because I’m already ready for bed and ready to rip these damn high heels and dress off. 

The keep whispers in his inquiring ear pointing me out. Danzo looks to me. Gotta make sure I have my own glass on display in my hand. I raise the gleaming cough syrup giving a mouthed salute and then tell all my tastebuds to go to sleep for a second as I chug a bit down. I’m sure that’ll help with my nerves for later but right now my entire top half inside and out is burning and I have to retain the grace of a woman whose always drank the hard stuff.

I see the smirk on Danzo’s lips grow and my hook is set, bait swallowed. Now is a good time to turn my attention to the doting male beside me. I turn in my seat so that Danzo will still have full view of my side as I casually lean in to listen to my nameless lovers boring choice of topics acting interested. I lower the lid of my eyes, try my best to initiate small contact by touching the tips of my fingers to his knee or laugh just loud enough to draw Danzo’s attention back to me. 

I purposely cross and uncross my legs flexing my toes against the strap of my heel. Something must have worked because I got a bite. Slowly the reel is coming in and Danzo puts himself between me and mister big-business-opportunity cutting off the flow of conversation.

“Thank you for my drink. I quit enjoyed it.” Inside I feel like I’m going to throw up and shit all at the same time. But I have to keep calm. It’s easy Sakura. You can do this. Just follow the plan to a T. The hard part of getting his attention is over. Now hook him.

“Oh? I pegged you as a scotch man.” Though the drink preference sheet had nothing to do with it or anything. 

“You have a gift my dear.” He sets the empty glass next to my half drunk one. I notice him eyeing it in suspicion.

“I’m a lightweight. I have to pace myself somehow.” I make sure to keep my tone nice and feathery light. While internally all my bells and whistles are going off to get the hell out of there and run. For Hinata I remind myself as he offers me the crook of his arm.

“Shall we?” My poor companions face is a mixture of shock and disgust. The new male lion has been overlooked for the rough and worn older one. But that’s really how it usually goes. Movies or not.

Well it was fun being someone else now I’m disgusted with her and pray to Kami-sama that I never have to pretend to be her ever again.

I can feel the presence of his entourage behind us as he leads the pack to the elevator that spills giggling couples out. 

Someone catches my eye and I practically go into cardiac arrest when I catch a glimpse of Itachi’s face amongst the crowd. What the hell was he doing? He was supposed to be the get away driver. Maybe he doesn’t trust me to do the task at hand? He never once breaks eye contact from his lovely companion eagerly hanging on his arm.

We wait for them to go before we enter and his flock fans around us as he engages in small talk with me. 

I expected no less when we arrive to his own privately owned floor. I’m a little relieved when his bodybuilders withdraw from us stamping into place upon their designated spots by the door. We enter another set of double doors which gives us access to the master room. 

Maybe I can just get him to think we’ll have couch sex that way I don’t have to burrow any deeper into this room. He’s at the bucket of chilled champagne filling two flutes with bubbly goodness all the way at the top. I can feel the excess fizz drop against my outer hand as I take a small sip to drain the fullness from it.

“Delicious.” I praise to him to inflate his ego. It seems to work. He gives a light bow and smiles.

“Only the best for the loveliest of ladies.” I mentally tell myself not to roll my eyes. Half of this getup is fake and meant to give you that illusion. But whatever old man. 

I take a seat on one of the plush white sofas lipped around a small depression in the floor looking at the rest of the raised room around me. I don’t particularly see any famous works but there are largely framed ones with gorgeous works. Despite the glamor of the hotel it seems it isn’t lavished enough to afford originals.

“So, what should I call my generous host?”

“Danzo.”

“Well Mr. Danzo, I am Kiri.”

“Lovely name my dear.” I take another small sip. This stuff isn’t so bad.

“What is it that you do?”

“I work at a large corporation firm. In fact I’m the president of the company.”

“Forgive me and my ignorance but I lack the understanding with all the hierarchy aspects of a person in your position.”

“It’s alright my dear. Surely you know president essentially rules everything.”

“So, in blatant terms, you own said business?”

“I do.” Honestly why couldn’t he just say that? Men really do love their titles don’t they. Don’t roll your eyes.

“Impressive. And pray tell what entails your work?”

“Importing and exporting of only the most expensive of things. We do not limit ourselves to merely one corner of the market. We adhere to all age ranges and this produces pretty pennies.” He sits heavily next to me. I try not to tense. I have to act like I’m interested and hanging on his every word like that pretty companion of Itachi’s downstairs. Why am I even thinking of him?

“Still a vague generalization.” I clink my glass to his and eye the bottle of capped scotch in the glass vase upon the same tray as the champagne. I can feel the outline of the pill and backup in my clutch as I adjust to touch knee to knee with Danzo.

I rest my elbow on the backing of the furniture and lean my chest slightly in twisting my body ever so slightly to keep his interest. His eyes go right down to my cleavage. Pervert.

“Anything really. Our biggest sellers are with the new owners of a car company. You wouldn’t believe how many Jags and Mercedes are shipped to Beverly Hills yearly.”

He’s right, I wouldn’t even want the capacity of imagination to think about his dirty dealings. I guess that’s enough small talk for him because now he’s getting handsy. His fingers brush over my knee moving bilaterally towards my thighs. I excuse myself chalking it up to being a playful teasing move. 

I float to the bottle of scotch pouring two glasses and moving my body in the line of his sight as I take up mine and sip. Both pills are still in my clutch. I cant be too hasty to rouse suspicion. I need to drink and stay sober to make it look as though there’s nothing I’m going to do except makes us drinks.

“Do you want to know what I do?”

“Of course.” A smirk slips over his disgusting lips and I cant help but briefly think about Sasuke and thank Itachi for being in the same building as me or my courage would abandon me right now.

“I sell—-“ Bombshells are playful. Seductive. I tease the rim of the glass against my lower lip before uttering the answer after drawing it out for a few seconds. “Toys.” I take a playful sip and grin ear to ear at him.

“Not what I expected to hear.”

“I’m flattered you think me innocent enough to sell children but these kinds are reserved strictly for adults.” He gets the hint. He raises a brow and sets his flute on the glass coffee table at his knee. 

“Oh?” I smile as he quips in a slight coo scooting to the edge of his seat like he’s ready to pounce at me any moment.

“Yes. I brought a sample with me. I just got done hosting another party. Just as you have many clients, I too must impart on you the question of: you wouldn’t believe how many vibrators we sell to men and women on equal terms.”

I can see him swallow, he massages his thumb hard against the pressure point in the crook of his hand and clears his throat.

“Would you like to see it?”

“Very much.” I turn and offer him his glass giving my best impression of a wounded girl offering a pout.

“It wont be as fun if its just me who drinks alone tonight.”

“Thought you wanted to pace yourself.” He says with a wink as he rises to his feet to meet me. 

“Hmm. Don’t insult a lady Mr. Danzo I am still conscious about my intention.” He takes the drink from my hand. I can see the last remnants of the white pill dissolved at the base of his glass. His eyes are trained on my lips where I wanted them to be. 

While I was speaking to him about what is was I did I made it look like I adjusted my clutch from my side to the back of my hipbone. In that brief second I slipped my fingers where I positioned the pill to be easily removed when he would be distracted. I then had my hands behind my back as though I was resting against the table letting my thumb deposit the little drug with a soft fizzy plink. While I drew out our conversation the tablet dissolved. Seems I plowed it the right amount of time to do so.

I toast my own glass and clink in unison with his before he slugs his head back and downs the beverage. I take small little sips and breath a sigh of relief. Now I needed to keep him talking until it took its course. 

It weighs on me. I just killed a man. Maybe not right now and not with my bare hands but...it was soon to come and take this piece of shit. Guilt coils in my stomach and he sets his glass down behind me.

“Ready to play?” He grins taking me by my waist and guiding me into the other dimly lit room. The stale aftershave and cologne assaults my nose and tickles my sinuses. I wrinkle my nose willing myself not to sneeze. 

He wants to rush things but I need more time. I tick my finger at him as he goes to grab my ass and rip my dress off. I take him by his tie and straddle his lap. He wants a kiss. That is something strippers don’t negate and it will certainly be my rule as well. 

I crane my neck and allow him access to that though I’m disgusted when I feel his rough lips suckling at my tender flesh. I pray to Itachi to come and save me. I pray someone will get me out of this situation. One of his guards makes him pause in his ministrations as he announces a bellhop has arrived with a fresh tray of food and drink.

Danzo resigns him waving him to get out of the room in dismissal but I hold his drooping cheeks in my palms. 

“We’ll need all our strength if we want to continue for the night.” He seems irritated but acquiesces to my request.

I practically choke on my own saliva when I see Itachi’s swapped out his suit for white with gold trimmed attire that the staff wears. He has a cloth napkin over the length of his forearm and he gives a gentle bow. He’s snagged someone’s brick framed glasses and I swear I’m in an Oceans movie.

“Evening valued customer. tonight we have a savory fillet mignon with salsberry steak sauce accompanied with White Zinfandel wine chilled and pulled from our nineteen hundreds shelf.” Looks like he’s playing a part as well. I can only hope that his metabolism will eat up the drug faster but each time I look to him he continues to have unwavering vigor.

“Would the young lady like anything in particular?” 

I can’t say a glass of water even though I’m craving that. Maybe bread will absorb some of the alchohaul I’ve consumed.

“Bread please.” He explains in length what kind and cut it is before my teeth crunch into the French crusting unprejudiced by what kind of expensive thing it is.

It takes a full fifty minutes before he finally succumbs to the effects and keels over. I hold my chest in relief but startled when I still see the gentle fall and rise of his chest. I look to Itachi in confusion.

He pulls out a barbiturate from his breast pocket filling a needle with the poisonous cocktail.

“I thought I...”

“I didn’t want that on your conscience. You’ll still be paid in full.” He slides the glasses to the top of his head as he flicks at the needle letting the little spurts of juice fall onto Danzo’s lapel.

“But I...”

“I apologize. I had a change of heart in the car. I’d rather the blood be on my hands.” He injects the syrup perfectly in time with the ticking blue veins against his throat. It will travel straight down to the arteries of his heart and cause a cardiac arrest. Itachi gets to work undoing his belt buckle and ruffling his shirt and hair. 

“You need to go out ahead of me.”

“But the plan...”

“Go Sakura.” Without another word I turn and stride to the doorway glancing back on East time. He’s making it look as though Danzo was in the middle of...when...I pull at clots of hair making them frizzy and disheveled while riding my dress up just a little as I stride out.

My thoughts are occupied with Itachi and not the men snickering behind me talking amongst themselves. I look dazed and confused. Probably because I am but it also helps in the facade of what was supposed to look like happened.

I go to the unlocked car yanking off the wig and taking the contacts out. It’s minutes but it feels like hours before Itachi discretely strolls across the busy street and slides in. He’s transformed back into the outfit he had on earlier. The glasses gone.

“Itachi...”

“Everything went smoothly don’t worry about it. With any luck they wont search the room till morning to wake their master. By then he’ll have looked like a drunken mess who died from getting excited.”

“You moved him?”

“To the bed.”

“But prints...”

“Not on my uniform.” He turns the engine on and drives. I turn in my seat taking one last look at the hotel as it rolls out of view from the back window. 


	16. Damned

** C H A I N S **

It’s too late to drive back to the house. I’m exhausted from the experience and from the looks of it so is Itachi though he’s too proud to admit it.

I can see the muscles in his hands tensing every so often just to keep from nodding off. I’m yearning for that hot shower wherever it is he’s able to stop. Just thinking about the heat uncoiling my frayed nerves makes my cold skin ache. I want to rip this dress off my body and smother myself in any soap available to get his scent off me. I want to watch as my makeup runs down the drain and I murder my persona from this day forward.

Eventually he lulls the car over hard gravel coaxing it to a stop. I wait still wrapped up in my fog of what had happened and it barely seems like time passed before he was back from the front desk and opening the car door for me, card key in hand. I slide out embarrassed to be wearing a daring outfit but feel a slight weight droop against my shoulders when Itachi relieves himself of his jacket and props the silk lining against my back.

I hold the front closed while he ushers us hastily into the ground floor room of our motel. I can smell the must and wrinkle my nose. This place actually made me regret entertaining the idea of a shower. And I needed it badly. 

“May I open a window?”

“Of course.” He removes his holsters that have been discretely hidden over the broadness of his body. Two small pistols and a couple of knives. I’ve rarely seen knife throwing save the movies but I do know there’s competitive sports with them and axes. I wonder how skilled he is with a blade. I also wonder if he has the right amount of force needed to kill a man with just the whim of a throw.

I wonder how comfortably he can move with the leather being bound so tightly to his body. I guide the curtains away from the sill before letting the air around me ventilate. Blessed fresh air fans around my skin, I take in a deep breath hoping the lungful will help ease my nerves.

“You should have let me do it.”

“I didn’t trust him not to put his hands on you.” I glance over my shoulder at him.

“Chivalrous.” I dryly express my sentiment to him.

“More like you had a two hundred pound male versus a ninety pound possibly less, woman who has no experience killing without leaving trace evidence.” I sigh bristled but conceding to the argument at hand rendering it moot. All I want is my bed back at the safe house and a nice hot meal with the promise of coffee in the morning. Right now I’m more concerned with glancing in the corner of the room and seeing something scurrying out of the shadows.

“Is he dead?”

“Very.” He removes his vest tucking it away in a bag before rummaging through and blessedly pulling out some of my attire.

“Ladies fist.” 

“I’d rather you shower first...see if there’s any creepy crawlies and scare them away for me.”

“Already did that.” Was that an attempt at a joke? If it was there’s no hint of a smile or smirk upon his lips whereas his younger brother would be brimming ear to ear accomplishing a grim joke like that.

He strolls into the small alcove that apparently has enough weight to be called “bathroom” while I peel myself out of the dress watching as my skin breaths from white to pink. Blessed circulation flow coming back to my sleeping limbs. I pull on a sweater and shorts looking at the bed afraid to even sleep on the pile of covers tightly fit to the corners of the spread.

I think I’d rather sleep in the car. At least the seats are comfy and I know whose been in the cab of it.

I look to the other bed deciding which looks better by comparison but...there’s a slim margin of difference between the two so I take the one furthest from the door. Paranoia still buzzing in my head from the adrenaline high of having gone through with the plan from earlier. 

Initially I was upset with Itachi foiling what was supposed to happen. He led me to believe that the barbiturate was in the dissolvable tablet that I spiked into his scotch. I suppose I can’t be too cross with him considering I don’t know if I could have gone through with it without the false sense of confidence. I amped myself up enough to be content with going through with it. The mentality of kill one to save the many but, perhaps he knew I wouldn’t be capable of going through with the task appointed to me and therefore sought to intervene. 

I hear the spray of the water and plant myself on the edge of the bed needing a distraction. I flip the television on finding a good news station that isn’t crackling and bite my fingernail in anticipation. I wait for the breaking story of Danzo’s death to flash across the screen. Itachi has hopes that it wont break until the morning. However my stomach is in knots and I want to make sure they didn’t get any video footage of me coming or going. 

I have no doubts I’ll be a person of interest and it makes me sick to think that I’m going to have to pack up my life here, sever all ties with friends and family and move away to the tropics. In the beginning I was content on doing that to get away. Now that I’m in this deep I should have valued everything I had before putting it on the line as a way to bargain. But then I had told Itachi about my dream of opening up the children’s hospital and that gave me...relief.

It gives me hope. Yes I love my job, yes I worked damn hard to get to the level of being called a doctor and Kami-sama knows working in a mans world is annoying and tiring to constantly prove you can do a job with equal skill as your male predecessors. 

I turn on something that is mindless and best used for background noise where I don’t need to focus on the plot because really the platitude of people that watch these type of shows await for the drama to unfold. 

The steam curls from under the door and moments later through the plume of haze Itachi emerges with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. Yep. I could die right now. I hurriedly look away hoping that my cheeks aren’t burning red as he casually tugs out his own set of clothing from the bag. 

He crosses my line of vision but I staple it to the screen until he passes and scurry off the bed while his back is to me and shut the door. 

“No bugs.” He calls to the closed door and I reply with a squeaky  great! 

By the time I get out he’s lounging upon his back stretched out like a cat at ease without any troubled thoughts creasing his brow or making him restless.

I wish I could adopt his caviler attitude when it came to why I could have pulled the operation off, yet I had no tangible case to present to him that would be believable. I let all those thoughts wash down the drain in the shower. I’m not particularly fond of the brand of shampoo provided in the motel but I was desperate and couldn’t afford to be picky. 

“Sasuke called while you were in the shower.”

“Bet he’s either relieved or pissed I’m not dead.” My attempt at humor is certainly dry. I wish Tenten could be here to catch me and recover my humiliation at not getting even a scoff from Itachi. I lay back in my bed drawing the musty covers up to my shoulders watching mindlessly as the history channel explains something about Norse boating. 

“He was relieved that you weren’t the one to kill Danzo.”

“I’m sure he is.” I glance over to him, I watch the rise and fall of his chest. His hand casually draped over his midsection while the other is folded behind his head, palm cupping he back of his crown. I cant help but note the similarities of mannerisms he and Sasuke share. It’s almost cute in a dangerous-lion-dont-forget-they’re-killers way.

I smile to myself and close my eyes.

I awoke to the world moving. Sometime in the wake of the morning Itachi had easily slid me into the car and was on the road, the rocking of the interior making me stay asleep until the intrusive rays of sunlight illuminated the back of my eyelids orange and made me snap awake.

The scent of fast food fills my senses and suddenly my stomach growls. I definitely need it after drinking alcohol half the night. I thumb through a bag propped in the center console rummaging through until my fingers find the wrapped breading of a breakfast sandwich. I sip the bottle of water glancing at Itachi. I can tell he wants to get back just as badly as I do.

“Did you eat?”

“I did.” Picturing him balancing one hand against the wheel while fumbling trying to open the wrapping of the sandwich which in a clumsy way makes me smile. Crap he caught me.

“What is it?”

“N-nothing! I’m just thankful you stopped and got us breakfast. That’s all!”

I act busy taking two big bites as an excuse not to speak further while he concentrates on the road ahead. 

It took another eight hours before we crossed back into state lines. Both he and I became restless and antsy as the hour left to get back to the house felt the longest and most drawn out elapse we’ve sat through thus far. But isn’t that how it always goes? Wanting to get back to something that is so close seems the furthest away from ones grasp.

I wrestled with the thought of sleeping the hour away but felt it cruel to leave Itachi to suffer by himself abandoning the insanity of wanting to get there as fast as we could to appease myself.

His hands tighten against the wheel. I glance in his direction. It was the same motion he made when our abduction the first night he drove Hinata and I to the house. I furrow my brow wondering what reasoning he had for doing it.

“Something wrong?”

“No.” Well now I know he’s lying. Normally I wouldn’t be invasive but...something seemed troublesome and if I may not know a lot when it comes to relationships and comforting others but I do know a thing or two about bottling my emotions up and it never ends well. I cant imagine what a mans outlet is. Probably angry sex. I choke on my tongue thinking about the last bit. Kami-sama is my mind that corrupt from Sasuke that it automatically goes to the gutter? 

“I told you, you can talk to me.” He takes in a deep breath. I can see the resolve breaking but the duality still remains in his concentrating expression. “Is it because you might have to dissolve your company now that things have gone awry?” 

The car swerves through to the other lane off the exit until it drags to a small outcropping off the highway into the mouth of a dusty trail that seems like a road made for a logging industry or phone company. The car jolts to a stop but my heart is hammering in my chest on full throttle.

He puts the car in park keeping it running as he pries his curled fingers from the wheel dragging them down the length of his face. I shift in my seat. Normally I wouldn’t feel this uneasy but I can never grasp what the elder is thinking or how he’ll react or even what he’ll do. I figure he’s going to use me as a punching bag. The worst kind of way to get everything out. I hope he’s had enough bloodlust from the night before. With him he’s an enigma. A shadow that doesn’t allow others to see him unless he wants to be seen or until its too late and his darkness shrouds around you.

He gets out of the car and I take the opportunity to turn it off conserving the gas we have left. I sit in my seat for a minute searching for his form in the various mirrors available yet the useless things have a blind spot that pick up nothing but his shadow. He’s moved to the back of the vehicle. Before the taillights flick off in unison with the headlights after being commanded to sleep I see his shadow block out one of them as he leans his weight against it. Maybe my theory wasn’t so far fetched.

I open the door thinking better of going to ask if he’s alright but clearly I can see he needs to get something out in the open. It’s eating him up inside and all I need to do is crack a few more pieces and I know he’ll succumb to being candid with me. But I don’t want to force him to say or push him to the edge of anger so much so that he’ll take his wrath out on me. 

I shut the door quietly and make my footfalls silent sucking in my gut so none of the weight dips into the balls of my heels. I creep over to him on the opposite side of the car in order to get a more advanced view of his face. A good vantage point to gauge his expression. But no. As usual he’s got that placid expression but I can see the terse jawline and the twitch in his flat and tight lips.

“Itachi...” I extend my fingers to his shoulder. He snatches my wrist like a skilled master plucking a fly with chopsticks. 

“Don’t.” The smooth baritone in his voice sends a wave of silk through me. The voice in my head berates me for being a foolish woman. 

“Just tell me what’s wrong. You can just get it out in the open and then we wont ever have to speak about this night again. I promise. I will go to the grave with whatever secret you’re allowing to fester inside you.”

“It’s not a secret. It’s transparent.”

“Then I’m still ignorant and in the dark to your sentiments so please, enlighten me.”

“It isn’t our line of work I’m upset about.” I wait for him to continue. It takes a few minutes for him to let my hand go and his eyes to rise from the focal point against the ground he’s been boring his stare upon. But he doesn’t look at me. He levels his gaze with the bleeding colors of the horizon. Brilliant shades of orange and purple fight for control of the last remaining blue of the sky before it leeches into a dark blue and black. Little diamonds already have risen and twinkle though its hard to see past the smudges of leaves clumped together. 

“It’s what’s to come after.”

“I see...I get it. I do! I mean...I’m terrified at starting anew as well and worried about my safety, worried about saying goodbye to the ones I love in order to leave them behind. For once in my life I can’t even see my future clearly and quite frankly that scares the hell out of me. All my life I’ve planned things. I’ve structured and categorized what I would do in neat little boxes and colorful binders. But now I...”

We’re silent. Neither one of us speaks. But then he does and I almost jump at the soft timber in his voice.

“As am I.” From the things Sasuke’s told me about Itachi he and I are quite similar in regards to studying hard and having offhand knowledge. I never thought in a million years the elder and I would have such comparing views between us. Whereas Sasuke and I are opposite, Itachi and I are almost one.

“Sasuke’s told me you’ve got enough money to buy castles! You-“

“I’m not worried about our financial situation. Nor am I concerned about what we will do once we slip into the shadows and enter society as different identities.” His eyes linger on the colorless sky as the moon swells against the berth of the trees. Then they slip over in my direction stilling me in my spot.

“It’s the future without you that’s been eating at me.” My mouth drops slightly open. I search the depths of his spheres for the lie in his truthful words but find no fault or deception. 

“I-I don’t understand...”

“I tried to eradicate the small disturbances of the arhythmic to my cardiac system but then it grew stronger and more prominent. I realized the sting of loneliness if you decided not to join me for our little talks in the mornings and tried to distance myself by being away from the house more often. I purposely went into the field of the work to avoid the remnants of the odd sensation. But it grew into a deeper fissure. So that is what’s been bothering me.”

I’m not sure how to respond to the confession. Deep inside I feel a kinship to Itachi. It’s easy to talk to him. He absorbs everything whereas Sasuke reflects and is open to being upfront about things. Perhaps I gave too much of myself which overtime eclipsed any chance he had at having a healthy relationship. 

“No Itachi...I am one of the worst people to waste your affections on. I cant even grasp the concept of what it is to balance life, love, and career.”

“And I cannot stuff it back inside. What’s said has been said.” He turns leaving me in the wake of my confusion. I feel slightly singed at the cold shoulder he suddenly throws at me. I didn’t mean to offend him but I haven’t exactly been throwing out pheromones or sexual vibes either. Ino and even Hinata knows better than I do on how to be a female. What it is to be a woman. Whenever I even attempted to flirt with boys I liked in college they thought I was joking or being ironic. Now I suddenly have the attention of two men?

My head is spinning. What on earth is drawing these two utterly drop dead gorgeous men to my awkward self?! I couldn’t fathom it. I felt guilty for betraying Sasuke like this. But I knew what it meant. I knew that Itachi was doing his best to let Sasuke have the spotlight. He wanted his brother to be happy so he hid his own feelings to support Sasuke. My heart twinges. 

I cut him off before he can open the driver side door. Though I’m a small blade of grass compared to this mountainous lanky man I’ll be damned if I don’t get to say my piece. Ever since I was taken I’ve been pushed through the ringer by these two assholes feeling restrained by the coiling of a rope. The hold these two had on me only grows tighter and tighter no matter how hard I struggle and fight. 

I jab my finger into his broad chest doing my best to look intimidating though I probably look like a stuffed animal poking away at a tree trunk.

“You don’t get to turn your back on me Itachi! I don’t care if you are disappointed or bruised by my reaction! Why should it be me who cradles both you and your brothers egos despite you both setting yourselves up for rejection?! How dare the pair of you jerks push me around and order Hinata and I to accept a drastic change in our lives and how dare you both tear into my heart ripping it to pieces fighting to see which one gets to eat the scraps left!”

I don’t notice when I start crying. It’s not until Itachi holds my cheek in his warm calloused hand that I notice. His thumb brushes away the glittering jewels rolling over my cheeks as I look at him surprised by his small act of affection. Something I’ve never seen until now.

His expression seems solemn and regretful yet I can see the point of no return in his eyes as his brows raise slightly and his smile seems crooked, eyes soft and knowing. 

“You’re right. Man is imperfect. And I am only human. Kami-sama made us weak when he abreast woman from our rib and he made the devil so much stronger than a man.” The way he speaks is poetic and invigorating. He’s silk. Fluid in motion. Strong and practical. And while the predators circle around me I willingly allow myself to become their prey. Now I await for their teeth to sink into my flesh.

And without further hesitancy he draws his lips onto mine slanting his firm tiers until the bud of my own swell in satisfaction and longing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohhhh where the itasaku fans at. Also ah yes can you tell which movie I got the line from at the end for ita? X3


	17. Gone girls

** C H A I N S **

****

It had been late when we got back to the house so I was able to avoid Sasuke’s questioning gaze as well as the onslaught of questions I’m sure I’ll face in the morning. I hadn’t realized just how much I missed my bed until I landed face down against the comforter inhaling my scent I left behind. I don’t know how the brothers did it. Just that minuet mission was enough to make me feel drained enough for a year. 

I just wanted to forget everything and be absolved of any sins I committed this past month. By morning as expected Sasuke peppered me with questions. Itachi filled him in on everything while I remained content on being catatonic watching as the matter of spices revolved around the rim of my cup. The scent of the tea was strong and inviting yet all I could think about was disappearing into the dredges of my cup.

It’s my own fault. I was committed to doing my duty and now that its over don’t get me wrong I am relieved, but it feels like the further I reach the heavier the shackles on my feet become threatening to drag me down. He neglected to tell him about his confession. 

It was a dirty secret festering inside me. How was Sasuke going to take it? No doubt there would be bruised knuckles, swollen skin, or worse, a dead body. Though I’m hardly worth that effort. I didn’t want to be the reason to be a rift that would wedge between them. In turn it wasn’t fair that I too was put into this position. 

I want to turn the hands of the clock back to before visiting Hinata in her apartment. I want to tell her she can stay at my place and avoid the night of horrors.

But no. That wasn’t how it played out and now I’m here in this muddled spot stuck between a rock and a hard place and I don’t even know who I should glance at other than my hands.

Everything was black and I was thankfully on autopilot for the next few days. We had to wait and see how the men of Danzo’s battalion would respond and though it was kept purposefully out of the news, Itachi had resources to reach into the darker part of the web to stay updated. 

According to the underground channels Itachi and I thus far had stayed out of the spotlight. Rumors of warring gangs and moguls were the attention in the headlines. Still, it didn’t stop the sickly feeling I got whenever Sasuke sucked air through his teeth and called his brother over to review the latest article depicting potential rival assassins. 

I was waiting for the article to hint towards a female that left his room and possibly a bellhop who technically were the last ones to see him alive. Nothing. I noticed Itachi making a few phone calls and I wondered if there were divergents among Danzo’s group who were friends or loyal to the brothers instead of their employer. Maybe they too got tired of his shit and they were all in on it.

Just thinking about the conspiracy was enough to send me into a week of bed rest with a slight cold that went away with Hinata tending to me. I lived on soup and crackers as well as tea and honey for those seven days making a special request to Itachi to bring back from the store a rose hips brew. It was the best for colds as well as a natural medicinal given to us freely by Mother Nature herself. 

Sasuke clung to me as well like a puppy without its toy. I was usually asleep or too bleary eyed to take in my surroundings with clarity and instead saw them as shadows and shapes but according to Hinata she said Sasuke often popped his head into my room to make sure I was on the mend. She called it “worried myself sick”. It hurt to laugh but gradually my lungs became clear and strongand my nasal cavity used both openings effectively. 

I figured she kept the worst of the news away from my plugged ears so when I told them to brief me on all that I had missed they exchanged glances to one another unsure of my vitality to withstand it.

Evidently, while I was down and out the rumors had turned to action and men were put in place to hunt down Danzo’s killer. Someone was going to answer for this crime and be made as an example. Someone was definitely going to hang and I could feel the knot of the noose tightening around my frail neck. At first it was a small coaxing of: If you turn yourself in we’ll go easy on you” that quickly spiraled into “you fucker are going to pay”. 

No one cared about his loss. Maybe his shareholders who got screwed out of their earnings but other than that the four of us knew that while on the surface this was transpiring, beneath it was endless bloodbaths to see who would become top dog and take his spot. I could tell neither of the brothers wanted to vie for that position. Instead they were talking about possibly having to split up to make it harder for the others to track them down. They were masters of disguise and could disappear if they wanted to. 

They could thrive in any country they wished, preferably one that they fluently knew the language of. So that left Hinata and I. We talked about going to the tropics for a vacation. From there while the heat died down and diverted to the brothers (should it take a turn for the worst that way) she could safely call her father to come pick her up.

She vowed not to implicate the brothers since on their behalf they turned against their master and put the lame dog down in order to get them out of the contract they were obligated to fulfill...while he was alive. In this way they would be able to go free without suspicion. Everything would be pinned on Danzo and hey, maybe even the Hyuga’s connections to the authorities would be an asset to keeping the bad guys at bay.

Yes. It all sounds so perfect when spoken or written on paper. All our troubles and cares wrapped up in a nice box with a bow on top. Yet, I know that’s more of how a story would go versus the hell of reality. I could see my dream of a children’s ward disappearing farther and farther away into the shadows out of my reach. 

Even though we were all slowly untangling these ties it still wasn’t enough. I knew there would be interrogations by the police. I would be harassed. One of them would smell something rotten and the only way our story would stick is if we insisted Danzo’s goons kidnapped us. Yet they hadn’t. And I doubt they’d be willing to work with us and take the fall. So— we’re right back where we were before she and I were shoved into the trunk of a car and it only took one detective who didn’t buy our story to tear everything we all worked so carefully to build up, down.

And that detective is Uzumaki. We were planning everything with precision. We were making it bulletproof and flawless. Neji had known the detective when graduating from the same law firm as him and therefore pulled his own strings to assign him to this personal case. Apparently my friend and the detective were no strangers as well. The mere mention of his name brought a wave of heat to her cheeks and a stutter to her words.

There were open statements addressing the kidnappers from press conferences Uzumaki held and always that cold blue stare was directed into the lens of the camera burning through the screens we viewed him upon, boring it to the brothers.

He was our kryptonite. The problem towhead with a sunshine smile and tanned, weathered skin. I knew him only at the Hyuga galas or gatherings and he bluntly seemed like an idiot. Yet his instincts were sharp and despite his caviler laid back attitude and goofy demeanor, he was terribly good at his job. 

He took the time to question things that others often overlook and goes above and beyond to get samples of the smallest fibers just to solidify a case. He was the type to line up all his ducks before taking them down so the criminals had no way of wriggling off the line once he set his hook.

Once upon a time I’d gladly welcome him to come and save us, now I fear for Sasuke and Itachi with him on our trail and on the adjacent side the monsters in the shadows gnash their teeth and roar threatening to tear mine and Hinata’s flesh apart given the chance.

It became to much when I got my cold so I suppose Hinata wasn’t off base about the expression after all. 

It was another month before the brothers, Hinata and I were all ready and poised to go through with our plan. They drove us to the outskirts of a private airport where the plane would escort us somewhere near the Galapagos. 

It had been a terribly hard goodbye parting from Sasuke and even Itachi. I felt ashamed at my burning need for them both to touch me one last time before we left. The ride was smooth, the skies becoming bluer with each crossing of the mass of land below us. I had no idea where we were exactly but as I glanced at Hinata asleep in her plush seat strapped in and safe my thoughts unfettered from the present drifted back to them both.

I felt a pang in my heart when I recalled Sasuke’s timid expression yet his eyes couldn’t lie, I saw them swimming with sadness and hurt and that in turn hurt me. Itachi tried to remain placid as ever yet when he embraced me in goodbye I could feel his hands shaking, just slightly. 

It feels strange. Utterly enigmatic that I had wanted for so long to run and scream to someone for help the first chance I got, yet here we were in a swelled crowd of tourists and civilians yet the only thing I could think of was the brothers and wanting to erase the distance between us. 

Our hut was quaint yet vast on the inside smelling of sandalwood and beechwood with a mixture of sunshine and salty sea air. This was the first time I’d ever been far from home as well as on the other side of the continent. It was like a slice of paradise poised in the outer reaches of a mystical floating island. 

I leaned against the sill of my room overlooking the ocean thinking how perhaps this land was meant to be seen but not touched by man yet I was happy that we transgressed taking a bite out of the apple to get kicked out of the garden and thrown to the tropics. 

There were heavy accents. Haitians, Barbados, even some occasional fisherman with a thick Cajun accent held bravado in the surrounding areas. Hinata was more than happy to drag herself out to the crystal blue waters peppered with bright fluorescent fish swimming this way and that. They scattered as she strolled in waist deep avoiding stringing coral and keeping an eye out for lemon sharks and lion fish. 

I was enjoying just watching her camped out on my towel in the sand. She giggled with delight when a sea turtle bigger than a Rottweiler emerged from his spot beneath the break of the waves. I thought he was a boulder but when Hinata nearly stepped on him he took flight avoiding her small stomping feet.

The mouth of the water foamed at my feet brushing piles of colorful shells toward me which I diligently plucked from the sand and set down upon my collection of other varied ones. A few white sand crabs scuttled towards me, I used a stray piece of driftwood to keep them at bay as they clacked their snappers as me and rolled their little beady black eyes up at me moving away.

I warned her to be weary of jellyfish and eels tossing in a joke about not wanting to pee on her leg today. She let the lull of the waves cradle her as she floats upon her back being guided by the lazy current back to the beach where we both took refuge in chairs fixed next to a dug out fire pit. I filled the charcoaled center with paper and once we got the flame going I fed the fire logs and debris I found lying about on the beach though the driftwood didn’t take. It was too damp.

If only I had my camera. The sunsets here really are vibrant. I cant even describe the colors because pictures don’t do it justice. No amount of high quality pixels on the smartest of televisions cant compare either. You have to see it in person. It isn’t meant to be captured by glass lens. I pin it to my memory as sky meets ocean and the two reflect like glassy surfaces kissing goodnight before the arched moon takes her place in the sky. 

My thoughts drift back to the diamonds in Sasuke’s eyes. I shake my head. Hinata told me she was going to call her father tomorrow and tell him everything. I understand why she wanted just a little time to herself before she would have to talk him down from his panicked conversation.

I make us something light to eat, the exertion from today as well as the time zone change has left us jet lagged and we can worry about getting the appropriate nutrients tomorrow. I know we’ll need plenty of fluids and fruit so we didn’t dry up like prunes being here. And I knew the vacation would be short lived once she made that phone call. Her father would send his fastest private jet to pick his beloved daughter up, hell if he could, he would send a fleet of ships on the wind if it could get him there.

Something is ringing. I raise a brow glancing towards my pack in my room rummaging through until I find a little pink phone waiting for me. The number is unknown as well as the object since this isn’t mine...yet I hold it up to my ear. I can hear someone on the other line sighing. Relief? Angry? 

“Hello?” I utter.

“Sakura.” Already I can feel the tears welling up in my eyes.

“Sasuke...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lov3s sorry for the late update x3 but here it is !


	18. Burnt Pages

** C H A I N S **

Hinata’s father had come to scoop her up and carry her to safety. I however, remained reluctant and conveyed my wishes to stay a bit longer in the tropics. With hours of arguing and long explanations she dutifully resigned to my position vowing to keep my secret of safety and discretion. I was safe, but I did not arrive with her. Besides, it’s not me her father was concerned about getting back to the states. With a sorrowful goodbye she took a taxi to the landing strip and three days and a phone call later she was back home in the lap of luxury and security. I myself was more than happy for her and settled as ease. She urged one last time that a plane could be arranged to gather me into the bosom of safety yet I declined. 

She had offered to stay but I refused to keep her tethered to me any further. Not when her chance at happiness was only a matter of days away. Hinata was back in her element and there was no amount of hush money paid to the tabloids in order to keep this out of the headlines. I however remained a shadow.

It was how I wanted it to be. Given the circumstances I remained thusly. Hinata was the important figurehead that needed to be back in the corporations chair while I gathered my thoughts. Her father was not my own and therefore I didn’t come from money and comfortability. I worked hard to get what little savings I could squirrel away and now I had nothing more than a blank canvas for my future. 

I let Sasuke know about Hinata’s return. In turn he let me know about his brother and his plans for splitting up in order to get their ducks in a row before retiring from their corrupt business. I couldn’t have picked a better place to take all this in and the salt of the sea air spraying upon me with every moist breath of wind alleviated the stress of it all.

I could open my hospital. I could go back to New York or even my homeland of Japan and get things running. It would take time for the land permits to be approved as well as other headaches in order to get zoning permits and builders to start the hospital. I gave myself a year to get it up and running and with the wealth coming my way thanks to my small part in the downfall of Danzo I could hire the best and fastest builders that wouldn’t just sit around on the job drinking beers and getting paid to loiter and laze about.

I knew a handful of old employers who introduced me to the board of the hospitals I worked at. Perhaps I could persuade them to integrate into my new facility. It would be an excellent start given I wouldn’t be naively throwing myself at the mercy of more wolves that would steal my building from me in due time. Shizune had been an excellent teacher as well as mentor to me and of course I would want Tsunade to be at the helm of my ship. 

I began formulating my plan filling my journal with the layout. I filled the margins with a lot of question marks that I knew would easily be slashed out in due time as I asked for this generous favor. The stroke of my pen paused. I suddenly began flipping back to the beginning logs of my journal. Back when I had requested Sasuke to get me one while I was in captivity.

My eyes slowly scan the beginning remnants of a scared little girls scribbling as her hands had trembled as she recounted the tales of her terrible captors. Had things changed so drastically that the terror put into these paragraphs meant nothing now? I devoured each page until I got to a part where I hadn’t written in months. Not up until now did I begin to start back up where I had left off. 

When did I stop? After Sasuke’s plea for me not to force his hand? Yes. It was that day. All my fears slowly began dissolving away and I had no need for the comfort of pen and paper and it wasn’t long after that when we...I look at the blank span of pages after my last confession crestfallen at the fact that I didn’t recant the details of my first time down. It was so clear in my minds eye now, but in time the details could become fuzzy and muddled by my dreams. My truth might be diluted with that of my unconscious imaginings. It wouldn’t be the first time in history for this to happen. 

I tear the pages out up until the new broad planning I had dared to dream were protected by the doodles in the margin. The book no longer closed securely as it once did. The jagged tears left the cover slightly parted from the pages. I fastened it with the tie and tossed the pages into the pit of the fire alighting the kindling and waiting for the flames to lap against the logs. 

I slumped in my chair holding the severed paper in my hands. This was damning evidence. The date, the time, all stamped with the treacherous tales that would damn the brothers and send them away past the twenty five year limit. I thought about the plan that was to play out. Hinata would pin it all on Danzo. Everything and neglect to regale Sasuke and Itachi from the wrong doing. No harm, no foul.

This was the last substantial material that would serve as the nails in their coffins. I part my fingers watching the papers become swallowed by the growing frame curling the parchment and erasing my sin. It wasn’t the only thing the fire cleansed upon this night. It too finally freed me of the little girl so hesitant on reaching for higher things than I thought I was capable of. 

I will leave behind my former self in this place. I will let her become a ghost that can never hurt me from here on out. I make this private vow to myself once more and cleanse my own spirit by wading into the water until my roses locks are swallowed by the surface of the water. I hold my breath until my lungs feel as though they will burst and in the rebirth of the full moonlight I breach the surface renewed. I will continue to grow and not stunt my limitations. 

I enjoy the array of tangy flavors the island offers. I must confess I’m still not a fan of pineapple on my pizza but—I will accept the sour sweet flavor it makes in a sea breeze. 

I cant understand some of the shows on the airways but I leave it on for background noise. I barely have the audio at six when there’s a knock at the door. I snap my attention across the way fearful it’s Danzo’s goons come to rape and murder me scattering my body parts across the islands so that I will never keep whole and spirit at rest. 

I pull a knife from the cutting board tucking it behind my back making my way to the door. No one knows I’m here and the hut is paid in full for the month. I manage to find the bolt sliding it away from jam opening the door a crack. Beneath the porch light and stars is a familiar face. I practically wrap my arms around his neck throwing myself at him knowing full well he’ll hold me up and easily catch me.

Sasuke lacks words. He’s a man whose still waters run deep and I’ve accepted him as such. Even now we speak through our actions. His lips finding mine, my fingers tangling into the rough toss led knots of his locks as I wrap my legs around his waist while he grasps my ass until its perched against the azure countertop. 

We’re immediately freeing ourselves from the heated restriction of our clothing as we fumble our fingers clumsily against the ties of our waistbands. Were I a more heeding person I would have remembered to change out of my swimsuit, but since I was wrapped up in panic and forgot about my decency I was thankful I had it on once Sasuke came into view.

He’s just as hungry as I am though he’ll never confess this out loud. He finds my hardened nipples easily drawing the spaghetti strings of my bikini easily away from my skin. I pout slightly. It isn’t fair that he’s always able to get me naked first leaving me wanting. I roll his shirt up graced with the knotted hard muscle tightly fit over the lines of his stomach. My fingers glide over the ridges of his ribs until my nails harshly bite into the thick flesh of his shoulder when his teeth tease my pink buds.

I moan feeling myself clench and in need of him to fill me to the hilt with his cock. I give him another note when his fingers push the hood of my clit back and the balls of his calloused fingers roll clockwise around my pearl sending delicious shockwaves of silver straight to my nipples and cause my cunt to ache and drench. I use the friction from my slick thighs to buck my hips up into his hand raging with need. 

I can feel the bastards smug smirk pressed against the length of my throat. The press of his hot spongy tongue drags to the lobe of my ear where he nips and breaths hotly against the shell of my ear. I can feel his jeans inflate as he swells against my stomach. I whine softly not able to keep myself from shoving that bulge inside me until I’m satisfied and filled to the hilt. 

“Please...” I beg against his equally reddened ears. He smells of sweat and musk. The same scent that I yearned for once the weight of the other side of my mattress lacked his body. Without another bit of foreplay he’s guiding his head past my slick walls which swallow him in a tight hold. I can feel my walls clamp and pulsate causing him to grunt while his hands which are flat against the countertop curl into fists. His knuckles burn against the rough surface and the jerky dragging of his hips make me encourage him to go deeper into me. 

He finds a smooth rhythm and our midsections kiss with perfect synergy that beats against my clit sending me into roiling orgasms. His hips choke and stutter while I ride my release out slicking his member to take him in fully. He ruts into me until he himself spills his hot seed inside me causing me to climax with him. He rides his erection out until we’re both collapsed against one another.

I’m yet again left with holding his head against my chest embarrassed that we weren’t successful in getting all our clothes off. My legs are restricted by the tangled mess of my bottoms fastening my ankles behind his lower back as he pulls out. My cunt drenches and drips with milky white and before I know it we go for round two. 

By the third time we’re in the shower and free of discharge and bodily fluids. I lay at his side exhausted and satisfied tracing the lines of his face until he yields my hand grumbling about going to sleep.

I hold my mug of coffee between my hands gazing at the bare back of the man that has a strange obsessive hold on me. I trace the lines that make him up with my eyes and drink in every movement he makes. From the flex of the wings of his shoulder blades to the extension of his willowy fingers as they reach and draw a mug of his own out of the cupboard.

“Tell me what happened.” I’m still in my euphoric cloud of lust but we cant just rut like animals for a week. Despite my inner self wanting nothing more than to have it just like that.

“Itachi is somewhere in Columbia. Last I spoke with him he was taking refuge in the rolling mountains in the wilderness as happy as a lark.”

“Have you heard about any heat from...you know who?”

“Voldemort?” I roll my eyes at his sarcasm and cup my cheek waiting to absorb his every word. “No. They Hyuga wants to draw blood from any of Danzo’s crews so the roaches were sent scattering to the wind. But it seems, for now, that we’ve been overlooked and no one has brought up the prospect of a man and woman leaving his hotel room.” 

It still seems impossible to me. I was in a pristine hotel where all eyes were seeking out the wealthy as well as being seen by his entourage and yet there was no hint of my suspicion being brought up to any other figurehead that wanted to usurp his position. 

“Good news then.” I nodded but couldn’t shag the nagging feeling that he was still keeping something from me. 

“Your being here...is part of what?” He glances at me a bit irritated at me but it surfaces my own smirk upon my lips as I preen in my seat unbothered by his souring mood.

“You know why. I wont affirm things for you every time you need confirmation of just what this is.”

“And what is this between us? Just sex?” I pull too far and he drops into his seat with an angry plop as he stares me down with eyes as black as a sharks.

“No.” I leave it at that as I drown my tongue with the flavor of the coffee. The fire from the night before billowed and simmering. 

“I see Hinata is gone.”

“She is. Left about a week ago.”

“But you stayed behind.”

“I wont affirm things for you every time you need confirmation.” I smirk again while he keeps his scowl. Perhaps it is too early to tease him.

“How long do you plan on staying here?”

“At least a month. So a few more weeks.”

“Hmngh.” 

“What does that mean?”

He says nothing. We stay quiet until the dregs of our cups are empty and our stomachs full from the meal he’s prepared. I draw lines in the crumbs on my plate. I await his answer feeling pressure press down on me the longer he feigns silence.

“Then I will as well.”


	19. The other

** C H A I N S **

****

Captain Sakura’s log. Sasuke is a grumpy fuck. No really. We are literally in one of the most beautiful places ever created and here he is moping because I told him we couldn’t have shower sex before embarking on our outing. Has this man ever been told no in his life? 

Evidently not.

While I try and get into the local headspace of the residents here by indulging in their customs (including food and drink, hence the big fishbowl liquor in front of me) he refuses to eat making me feel like I have to hurry and finish my drink before we move onto the next portion of our day.

I know I should be over the moon to have him here but with the way he’s acting I’m ready to lock him out of my suite and let the creatures of the deep have at him. I gingerly nudge his knee under the table with my bare foot abandoning my sandal and wriggling my toes against that beautiful chiseled calf of his. Asshole. 

He doesn’t budge an inch. He keeps his arms tightly clamped and crossed across his chest while he pretends something interesting is happening outside in order to look away from me and ignore me. Baby. I nudge him again. Nothing. I press my foot firmly against those stupidly stubborn balls of his and that does it. He readjusts in his seat knocking my ankle away from him and I giggle at my success.

“Don’t.”

“You don’t. Why are you sitting there like a grump?”

“Hmngh.” His favorite caveman choice of word.

“Sasuke. I bet if I checked your balls right now, they would not be blue. Not after yesterdays romp.” 

He glances at me keeping his face at a three quartered profile but narrowing those bitter coffee black eyes at me with his brows drawn low. I should try for another tactic. If I push him with a trying to make him jealous bit he’ll just resent me and think me stupid for even wasting my time trying to hook him that way.

I’ll go for the lost puppy one instead. I pay for my drink getting to my feet as gracefully as my buzz will allow me though I wobble slightly but quickly recover, and I leave him to grump all by himself in the cafe.

His eyes follow me and he doesn’t yield his silly season so I leave him behind. It isn’t long until I hear his hulking footsteps tromping behind me and I’m glad my back is to him so I can smirk in peace. Guess he’s not entirely miserable enough to stew in his own company. 

I slip into a shop where colorful different handmade things line the walls and dangle from the ceiling. Wood made toucans, glass turtles, sand sculptured dolphins, tiny landscaped artworks on shells all adorn the shop. Each unique and lovingly made. I want to purchase them all. I got a large straw sun hat the night before as well as pearl clips just because I wanted a piece of this place before whatever hell I would be thrust into after this.

Sasuke keeps to his side of the store but I can tell from my peripheral that he’s glancing at me. I find the section of the store where there’s wonderful smelling herbs as well as some beautiful hanging crystals wrapped in decorative filigree made by jewelers to accent the gems.

The vendor of the shop is kind but speaks a different language. Sasuke is speaking to him as though he was born on the island and has always been a native. I’m still fascinated by how easily it is for him to adapt to his surroundings. Not to mention the way he can speak an array of languages. It sounds like a garbled mess in my ears but seems to be making intricate sentences and stories to them.

I find a corner with books stocked to the ceiling. All different genres. I find a whaling book published in the nineteen hundreds. It has crude descriptions about where to cut the whale and what each part is used for accompanied along with rough pencil sketches blotted over in ink. 

I shelve it wandering back to Sasuke who seems to have finally fixed the chip on his shoulder and chance asking if he’s ready to head back. He slips something into his pocket before I can see what it is. 

I ask him about it on our way back but he does everything except distract me and run to get my attention off it. I split open a mango carving out the flesh and blending it into a pulpy juiced smoothie. He takes to quickly typing things out on the computer before shutting it and turning his attention back to me.

“We should have a bonfire tonight.” 

“We should.” I add in agreement. 

I build it up and make sure we have enough wood just in case this is going to be a long briefing. Sasuke sits beside me while I dig my toes into the mound of sand I scooped to my chair with the curve of my foot.

“Any new news? Is Hinata supposed to contact you or something?”

I’m getting used to his silent pauses. The intensity of his fixed eyes upon the fire sends shivers through me. I pull my shawl closer to my shoulders awaiting his answer.

“No.” I waited for that. Geez. 

“So then what?”

“We’re waiting this out. Correct?” I nod in agreement even though he’s not looking at me. “Once this vacation is terminated we’re going to fly back to the states and join Itachi in Columbia.” 

“Isn’t that somewhere in...Brazil? Shouldn’t he come to us?”

“No. Danzo was stationed in Japan, had his reach in New York, but is blind when it comes to here and any other place his influence cannot touch. There’s a different set of rules out in the rugged wilderness.”

“S-so you mean...Montana.” 

“Yes.” The only knowledge I have of that place is mountains and cowboys. I stifle a laugh imagining nothing but spurred boots and towns plagued by drought while everyone does their damndest not to use the wordy howdy in every other sentence. But I’m profiling...

“For how long?”

“Not sure. He’s been dark for a few weeks.” I panic and scoot to the edge of my seat, stomach in my throat, and heart hammering.

“Is he alright?!” He just gives me a dry look as though he wasn’t expecting me to loose my head and act a fool.

“Yes Sakura. He warned me he would do this for all our safeties sake.” Now I do feel I’m playing the part of the fool and slide back into the arch of the chair.

“Did you check on Hinata?”

“I did. Seems she’s doing just fine.” His tone is mono, his delivery dry, and he seems distracted tonight. Something is definitely off. But its no use prodding him to get him to confess. It will only build more walls than knock them down.

“Cold?” I blink in surprise. The fire was still raging and it really never gets chilly here. Not in the tropics. Just less humid. 

“Uh...” 

“Right. Just making sure.” Something definitely is eating at him, just don’t know what...

The rest of the evening is quiet. Subtle little nods of acknowledgment between he and I but the best part of intimacy I can offer is when I thread my fingers with his. For a second I think he’ll be aloof and pull away but he in turn squeezes back accepting the light touch between us. 

He fiddles with something in his pocket tugging something loose. 

“What’s that?”

“Turn.” 

“I can only twist. In my seat.”

“Do that then and knock off the sass.” I smirk rolling my eyes before doing as I’m told but not without adding a little salt and resistance to being demanded to do something. Especially coming from him. 

“Close your eyes.”

“You’re on thin ice.”

“Good thing there’s no ice in the tropics then. Close them.” I can admit to being stubborn. But I can tell his patience is waning so I close them and hum in protest. I can feel him pulling the curtain of my hair back. Necklace. But I wont allow my brain to spoil this occasion so I just block everything else out and focus on the feeling of his fingers against my skin. Not to mention I’m shocked he even considered granting me with a gift. 

This isn’t like him at all. I wonder what spurred this? Maybe he thought it would make up for the pout fest the entirety of the morning. I feel a light weighted chain follow the curvature of my neck and collarbone. There’s something a bit heftier resting against the hollow of my neck where my bones meet. 

“You can open them now.”

I look down immediately to the charm and lift it to my viewpoint. Its a Sakura. Silver backing but a lining on the front framing around intricate detail accenting the filling of red. I trace the outline of the petals, the small V that dips and then curves to the next one. I do love red...and the fact that he found something like this in a miscellaneous store was a rare find. 

“Its beautiful.”

“Clearly it reminded me of you.” Uh-huh. And I wasn’t on his mind when he purchased this. He wont admit that he was unselfish and did something nice for someone else.

I turn back around to face him. “How does it look?” His eyes linger against the charm before lingering back up to my eyes.

“It suits you.” He nods in agreement before getting too embarrassed to maintain eye contact and looks away. Usually if we hold it longer than five seconds things become oddly heated and erotic. There’s a strong sense of desire between us but something also intensely intimate. As though our souls connect with one another. 

I grant him a kiss for his efforts but he pulls me in a closer embrace. I straddle him easing into his lap that’s already swelling beneath my thighs. Honestly. Is it always going to be like this? Not that I’m innocent in this scenario either. I want him just as much he clearly wants me.

Once more we stay in our clothes but sex on the beach is as blissful as it sounds, especially when its a private one and the moonlight reflects a shimmering sea of diamonds on its surface. The salt in the air teams with the warmth on the breeze. 

As we come together, both panting and sweating in a heated kindling of bodies melting into one another, I cant help but stare at him. The raw Greek-like curvature of his aristocratic features. I wonder if his descendants weren’t from Greece at one point before settling roots in Japan.

More than once I think about my own origins many times when looking in the mirror. I wondered if one of my own was from Ireland and had a run in with a fae folk since it seemed to be the only plausible and rational explanation as to whey I was gifted with my shock of rose hued locks. 

Not to mention having it paired with bright green gem-like eyes. Celtic. Maybe I wished to be the type to have become from Druid descendants. His lids grow heavy, my own rigid body is ready to seek comforts in the folds of my blanket. 

He carries me, a small mercy I’m thankful for, and as soon as my head touches down against the pillow I’m out like a light. 

We make sure everything we need is packed and I admit to being a little sad seeing the island roll away in the rear view mirror as we head to the airport. The chosen wig to pair with my matching passport picture is itching again and I’ll be more than happy once this whole thing of wearing disguises is over.

The flight is long but I try to sleep most of that off feeling guilty for abandoning Sasuke to dreamland while he remains vigilant and alert. When he dawned his outfit I tried not to laugh. It was odd seeing him with his unruly locks tamed and slicked back carefully. Not a single strand out of place.

He wasn’t sharply tailored in a suit, he chose muted colors with a dark brown oversized sweater and ripped faded washed jeans. Converse shoes fastened upon his feet. It must have made him utterly uncomfortable to wear such an outfit. 

At least the food is tolerable. By the time we arrive back in the states I can feel the change in the air. There’s a bitter bite of cold thrumming through the plane and they have to turn the heat on for the cabin in order to maintain a moderate temperature.

He’s arranged to have a truck be our means of transport in order to rough the rugged terrain and make it through the mountains to yet another cast expanse of woods. He showed me the images of the house on one of the reality sites that provided the pictures until his brother signed on the dotted line and purchased the house. No more pictures to pry into the privately bought life of the home owner. 

A spacious ranch and rustic style home with a wrap around porch on both tiers of the house levels and it definitely feels cowboyish. Never would have taken the elder to have such tastes but if we had to hide out anywhere I’m glad it was here. It took us long enough to get up the long dirt road to the drive and once the clearing of woods revealed the homestead the barren land was riddled with wildflowers and fencing holding a few pinto stallions grazing in the summer heat.

I tossed the wig as soon as we crossed state lines and despite Sasuke driving he too shimmered out of his clothing telling me to toss him his attire as we rode on. Itachi was waiting for us in the driveway outstretching his arms. Sasuke strolled to him and they embraced grinning ear to ear. 

“Finally. How was your vacation?”

“Good. I can only tolerate the heat for so long and I admit despite the scenery being post card worthy, I would take this over any beach any day.” My sentimentality is the opposite. I could wake up to golden sunshine and sand engulfing my toes each day.

The threat of our secret between Itachi and I is apparent when he stops short in front of me. He’s unsure if he should envelop me in a tight embrace as well or just continue to stand there a hulking mess awkwardly in front of me. We meet in the middle with an equally cringe worthy handshake. 

“Glad you’re alright Sakura.” The last time I was alone with him he saved me from committing a crime and then belaying that he had feelings for me. It would be remiss of me if I didn’t cop to feeling a faint glow of butterflies in my own stomach whenever he was around and seeing him before me now sends those same shockwaves through me now.

When our hands made the connection it couldn’t be ignored or forgotten. He guided us into the house being sure to tend to the baggage as we all held armfuls of luggage going up the four steps it took to get into the house. 

Dinner was pleasant. I actually knew the names of the food served and I dearly missed the raw taste of metallic meat as the threaded tender flesh separated and burst with rubbed seasoning. Home style potatoes were also welcomed as I shoveled in my hearty helping before abandoning the plate altogether and retired to the comforts of a sofa.

Sasuke regaled his elder sibling with our tales leaving out the steamy details obviously but leaving none out when it came to describing the beauty of the island. The calm nights on the beach with the moon and fire as our guiding lights. As the night petered out we all agreed to retire to our rooms early. Itachi remaining unaware of just how close Sasuke and I had gotten during the duration of our secluded stay did not realize that we would be perfectly contented sleeping in the same bed.

Out of courtesy I went to my room and felt the sting of loneliness of another weighted body next to me or being tangled in his arms, but I also did find it a bittersweet moment as I was able to sprawl all my limbs any which way I desired.

I can feel my eyelids slowly becoming heavy with sleep when there’s a light rapping on my door. I roll out of bed blindly making my way towards it. The moon isn’t as close here as it is in Jamaica and its distant and a colder light compared to there. Its still an Indian summer and the last fragments before fall still try to cling with all its might to stay before the cold bites roll with the wind.

I expected Sasuke to be sneaking into my chambers but I have to look two inches higher than normal. 

“Itachi!” I squeak in surprise. He snaps his head to look down the hallway for anyone stirring. Sasuke remains silent and probably passed out with jet lag and fatigue. Not only did he rarely sleep on the plane but he also had to stay awake in order to drive us four hours from the airport. I cant even imagine how exhausted he feels right now.

“I have to talk to you.”

“I’m starting to pick up a pattern here...whenever the pair of you tell me this its typically not good. Its always followed by a weighty confession and I’m starting to hate it.”

He smiles at my dry sense of humor and I allow him access in. Before the door closes his lips are on mine and instead of fighting I willingly wrap my arms around his neck drawing nearer. This was becoming a habit of mine I did not care for. And yet in the same sense I don’t care about the repercussions, not with him this close to me. Not when the sting of betrayal threatens to overtake my flared senses. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this is late :*( we had personal things happen so here is the next installment x3


	20. The Ride

**C H A I N S**

  
Ladies and Gents of my prosecution. To those reading these entires I hastily scribble out... I know what I’m going to log in next will not be to some of your liking. However, when going through this bizarre Alice in Wonderland phase of mine I find myself falling deeper and deeper into the rabbit hole. I know not the rules or how I should play. Just when I feel I’m going to figure things out, I couldn’t be more wrong. And so—-I must digress and disclaim this proclamation unto you. I am merely a player on the board of my life’s journey and since someone with a higher power seems to like to shake the board and discard the rules altogether I take what it throws at me. 

So here at my door was the eldest Uchiha and somewhere along the line I mirrored his affections. Unintentionally mind you, but like a slow fall in the dark, it happened. 

I’m at a loss when his fingers sinuously trail over my body. The feminine part of myself is struggling not to compare him to his younger brother. Each time it feels as though there’s a knee jerk to my brain when my thoughts drift on the places he misses whereas Sasuke would not. He zeros in and knows how to fluster and rile my senses up whereas Itachi is gentle and almost tentative with a fluttering touch. 

I inhale deep the thickly rich scent of his musk. He’s been living on the ranch for as I understand it, a little over a month and therefore the lay of the land has seeped into his skin. He doesn’t smell like the salty spray of sea as Sasuke does. He is the salt of the earth. Crushed pine needles, sun kissed sweat, and hard dirt. Total rugged wilderness. 

I scan my fingers over the length of his arm. Roped muscles, a disciplined hardened body, solid rocky muscle. Sasuke has some soft spots which I don’t find neglected but in fact I adore the elasticity of his skin and the sensation between my teeth. I like I can drag parts of him with my mouth and leave my marks. With Itachi its harder. Like biting into chunks of ice that gives me no room for chomping down for a better hold.

His texture is rough but not in a bad way. The coarseness of his body grinding against mine sparks raw friction that strangles me completely. Before I can even groan in protest from the pain, it numbs and rekindles into a delicious tickle that stimulates my nerves. I barely have time to register where his lips are on me because he’s filling me up. I gasp loudly in protest feeling the throbbing ache between my legs. I close myself off slightly by tightening my thighs around his sculpted waist. As retaliation for squeezing around him he rolls his hips into me until he’s at the hilt and I can feel his balls against my ass throbbing and hot. 

I whine and wriggle my hips begging in my small way for him to move or do something before I shrink into myself becoming my own black hole. Before I can completely go mad he sets a hearty slow pace that gradually quickens the louder I become.

I hold onto him for stability, my fingers threading through his long lustrous locks. I envy him. His hair is feathery soft and no amount of strenuous attention to my own could ever match its velvety texture. When the strands come loose from their binding and his hair falls around him tickling the surface of my face somehow he looks even more a ethereal. 

The muscles in my stomach clench and I roll out my release. I climax three more times before him thanks to his generosity with working his fingers over my clit while he pounds into me with fervor. Eventually his hips stutter and he goes to the hilt again spilling his hot seed inside me. I shutter and cling to him until the burning magma ceases and flows out of me. 

I cant remember when I fell asleep but when I awake I can hear the shower running across the hall. I gather Itachi spent the night but rolled out during the crack of dawn to bathe. I stretch and I too decide to clean up before jogging down to the kitchen where coffee is already burbling but there is no Sasuke or Itachi attending to it.

I can hear the clamber of unrhythmic beating. At first I think its thunder, the clouds are a blue gray concealing away any sunlight that wishes to pour through the thick mass. I gingerly bat the curtains away from the window peering past the front porch to a small gated corral where oddly enough watching Sasuke mounted on a stallion and handling it with effervescence sends a ripple through my body.

I join him watching curiously and leaning against a peg unknowingly smiling during his ministrations. I watched as his movements became a blend with the stud he was working. If his waist twisted to the right, the entirety of the horse gracefully arced to the right with him. With a few flicks of its long tail I could tell by the signal of the horse and the bend of its ears he was getting frustrated with the amount of commands Sasuke was silently making him rehearse.

There was a slight buck to its back but with the correction of a stern jab to its flank the stud soon straightened out and allowed Sasuke to steer him to where I was resting.

“Did you need something?”

“No.” I somberly spoke in a feathery light tone contented just to watch. Even the air here was crisp and clean. It filled my lungs like arctic fire. My whole body vibrated with the raw intensity of this wilderness. I could get used to turning every which way where there was nothing but picturesque panoramic scenery surrounding me.

He raised a brow which in Sasuke terms meant: he was either getting steadily annoyed with my being there or—-he was confused as to my interruption at all. 

“I didn’t know you could ride.”

“I’m not riding. I’m breaking the horse in order to ride him.”

I rolled my eyes at his dry tone as well as the sarcastic explanation. 

“I didn’t know you  knew how to ride a horse at all I mean then.”

“One of the perks growing up in a sophisticated household I suppose.”

My mind briefly flickered back to the explanation of how he was robbed of his early childhood after the death of his parents and I wondered how many precious moments he really got to have with them.

“Did you take lessons or were you just naturally good at it like you seem to be with everything?” The stud didn’t care for standing still this long. His neck craned and his nostrils flailed while he snorted with impatience at the alpha commanding his moves.

Sasuke tugged on the bridal sternly warning the horse to keep his jawline at a polite height and to mind his manners. 

“Can I pet him?”

“He might bite.”

I extended my fingers to the course hair upon his neck. The horse sidestepped flinching away from my touch.

“He’s a bit grumpy.”

“Then you two are a perfect match in every way.” I smirked watching the irritation swim across his features. 

“Hand me my hat please.” I took the rough midnight black leather in my hand turning it topside to the disgruntled Uchiha who blocked the impeding sun starting to burn through the iridescent lining of the clouds and aiming right at the black top of his head. Ping goes another shutter through me.

Another curve of his body makes the stud turn so his muzzle is aimed right at my chest. I gingerly feel the velvet over his nose gliding to his forehead. I may have a big brow but at least its not as terribly wide as his that it makes my eyes far apart. I smile softly to myself and the Uchiha rain ruins my small high.

“Don’t just pet his face, its the same as me putting my hand over yours and rubbing.”

“Yes please.” I retort smartly. His lids hood down and that look runs through me like an obsidian river that sticks to anything it touches. I’m rendered immobile as he effortlessly swings his leg from his steeds back and even up over the stern of the saddle. 

He works on taking away the bridle, but when he gets to the strap of the saddle beneath its belly when he pauses and glances at me.

“Fancy a ride?”

Firstly I’m taken aback at how he phrased that, secondly, I’m even more off put by the way his smirk turns into a genuine look of torture. I suppose its punishment for my retort.

“I don’t ride let alone fool around with animals. That’s why I became a doctor. I;m a people person. Not animal.” I’m still not convinced animals don’t have it out for me. I remember mom bringing home a fish in a bowl when I was little and not even after a day the poor thing was belly up. I was convinced after that flush of the toilet I was cursed. 

If I went to Ino’s there were a few strays she fed in the back of her dads shop and any time I knelt down to let one sniff me I’d end up with a scratch to the back of my hand. So the thought of even getting up on this giant wild animal is enough to make me turn on my heel.

“Come here.”

“No Sasuke. There’s no way!”

“If you scream he’ll get riled up so keep calm and your voice soft.”

“And I’m sure he can sense your annoyance as well so what does he care if I’m afraid of him?”

He holds out his hand and motions me to climb over the posted fence. I carefully clamber over. My heart is in my throat and bounding so rapidly I feel like its going to bust out of my chest like the creatures from that sci-fi movie.

The horse clamps his foot a few times hard into the dirt while Sasuke takes me by my waist and eases me into the saddle on the back portion. Not long after he rises and mounts into his position with finesse that I blush embarrassed by my fumbling disheveled entry upon this beast.

With a gentle flick of the reins the horse sets a steady trotting pace outside of the gate and onto an unmarked trail. We wind and weave over vivid green hills, through lush forests, and abounding fields of flowers lazily tossing about in the breeze swept up from the mountains.

Having a phone and taking pictures wouldn’t do the real thing justice. Only the lens within my eye and etching of my memory can capture these images now. I forget I’m riding a horse entirely. At one point Sasuke had instructed me where to hold onto him and how to move so that my lower spinal column didn’t pinch against my disks and nerves. 

Its like a dance. I see now why the horse and Sasuke seem to be linked together. I can feel the slightest silent command given by Sasuke as his toned waist half turns to the left in unison the horse turns as his rider instructs. The horse could probably run this trail blind with Sasuke’s guidance. Even though he sees the tree the subtle movement of Sasuke’s command instructs him in which direction would be best to take.

We come to a clearing to a scene that I can only best describe as being a snapshot on a bottle of water with crisp or spring in the title of the brand. The mountains had a light dusting of snow at the tops and the distance and haze of the low hanging clouds reflected the rock face to look almost blue. The field in front of us is sure to have ticks a plenty if I had chosen to get down but I stay seated looking to the foreground as it compliments the scene ahead of us. 

We get back to the cabin where lunch is waiting for us. Sasuke’s in the stable finishing up with a multitude of rewards for the effort the horse has made today as well as his progress in developing a slight bond with his rider.

Itachi steals this small moment taking a seat across from me pausing mid movement ready to land his hand over the back of my knuckles but withdraws. I wonder what’s racing through his mind. 

“What is it?”

“Nothing. How was your ride?”

“Eventful.” His brows raise. “And terrifying.” I confess in a slight embarrassed breath of laughter. I get a small quirked smile in return.

“For a first timer it can be intimidating.” I get the feeling he wants to brush small talk aside but isn’t one to take initiative unless its necessary. He goes to say something but Sasuke strolls in with a wide gait. Probably sore from the ride but trying to cool down his thigh muscles. 

He snags a plate of food scarfing it down and the smell of fresh hay permeates my senses. I wonder if I stink just the same. I suppose I’ll have to take another shower before the night is through.

We all sit and eat in silence. Then once our bellies are full and we retire to the living room, Sasuke starts up with the questions.

I inquire about being able to contact Hinata or even shoot her an email but I half heartedly knew the answer was to be no. I accepted being on the run with fugitives slash secret agent type of assassins and therefore I know I must keep to the shadows. A toe out of line would expose the entire team. 

Cronies were still crawling everywhere looking for the perpetrators that were responsible for Danzo’s death. However, Itachi’s intel and disappearance wasn’t without reason. It turned out there was an up and coming lackey that was circling the dethroned Don and Itachi was doing his job gathering up every scrap of paper on this new blood before picking the next safe house to organize his research. 

Once business was out of the way and despite the television being on, the silence between us all was deafening. I couldn’t understand what was transpiring between the three of us. What had went awry since the time we stopped talking up until now? 

I caught a glimpse of Sasuke out of the corner of my eye. He was subtly fidgeting in his spot against the sofa. I could see the wheels turning in his head. He couldn’t hide that expression despite the facade he thought he could successfully play off. 

There was a slight crease in his brow and he kept eyeing his brother much like the first few days of my captivity with Hinata. But this exchange was different. Where that was for information on what should be done next, this expression was...just different.

That odd behavior resonated with me the rest of the night. I was unaware that during my restless tossing and turning within my bed that Sasuke had found an opportunity to get his sibling alone. Ignorant to the words exchanged beneath the porch lamplight that would alter my course going forward from this night on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello loves so sorry it’s been a long time >.< I’ve been on a dra3ing kick instead of writing and busy with life’s but here it is. And yeehawchiha x3


	21. The Conflict

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello loves so this chapter is all about Sasuke’s point of view. Enjoy his sass but also the turmoil that ensues.

** C H A I N S **

  
I had barbed wire in my stomach the entire night and day since the closing of my eyes to the opening of them. My restraint was even pushed as far as itching to have a cigarette between my teeth, for the nicotine to roll down my throat, and numbing the feeling overtaking me little by little. 

I remained distracted overnight finding small tasks to do no matter how menial. It started with research on Danzo’s successor, but I couldn’t be in the house. Not while that was happening. I found myself wandering outside into the crisp air. A low chortle coming from the stables called to me and anything was better than having to lay in my bed at night and listen to the creaking mattress next door. 

I’m a simple man regardless of an annoying pink mink contradicting me saying that I am “utterly complicated”. Her words. Not mine. 

As far as I saw it, rage was barreling through me as an unrelenting and unyielding locomotive. It was growing worse by the minute. 

I don’t care to admit that I find a small sort of comfort around animals. After entering the stables I can confess I behaved badly and spooked the livestock penned behind their posts. I took my mounting frustrations out on the water bucket, threw my fit of rage at the unsuspected bale of hay until the twine snapped allowing the straw to scatter around me. 

I took up a pitchfork stabbing over and over into the remaining pile that had not spilled over. My entire body became drained with exhaustion once my fit was done, I physically let my anger explode and yet that wasn’t enough to sate it. I need more.

The only way I wont stew in my misery is if I keep my mind distracted. Keep it from seeing the images of my older brother and...

I ride through the night flinching during each closeup shot that flashes into my head. For the past few hours I’ve been strangling my mind to be silent and numb. I fill it in with physical sights and sounds. I cant be distracted and ignorant to the prowling danger roving through the hidden hills, behind the thicket of bushes, and shrouded behind the ribs of the trees.

I feel the quiver in the horses haunches while a heavy snort weighs as a rhythmic frayed pattern of breathing. I allow him to slow to his preferred pace until he stops altogether and when I finally manage to open my eyes and look around I find we are no where in particular but that doesn’t matter. We could be catapulted in any part of this state and the scenery would be a sight to behold day or night.

No matter what part of the world I escaped to my thoughts were always going to pin me back there, in that room. Imagining the worst but easily visualizing what was happening thanks to the provided sounds and animalistic grunts accompanied by the rutting soundtrack contributed by both parties sweating and heaving efforts. For a brief second I thought of the house catching on fire but instantly regretted it as the stone in the pit of my stomach sank into the core of my shame.

What the hell am I doing? How many times was I trained as well as instructed not to get involved with clientell and targets? I’ve had my fair share of women who throw themselves at me and all those times I had no problems when it came to brushing them off or turning them down. Sure we could have women outside the job but how the hell did this situation get as fucked up as it did? Why is she still with us? Why are we not onto another job right now? Why are we not celebrating Danzo’s fucking death especially when he was the one who slaughtered our family? 

Instead? My older brother is fucking a woman who I should not have feelings for. A woman that somehow slipped under my skin and despite all the shit she gives me, I would find it hard not to wake up in the morning and seeing her shake her little ass to the radio with the sound and scent of fresh coffee being made in unison with the sizzling of bacon. The irritating way she would claim all the pickled plums as her own. (Not that I’m complaining, I dislike sweet things). 

I wasn’t sure if it was the narrow scope from being in close interaction with Sakura that brought this on or if it was the fact that Itachi was often more placid and naturally talented at hiding away his feelings so therefore wished to mirror what a normal empath did. And I’m not talking about myself by any stretch of means. The only person that could exhibit that type of reflection was the only one I wanted to forget about right now.

Doesn’t matter how focused I maintained myself through breathing or distraction, the sharp images continued to molest the farthest reaches of my membrane. I would rather be dealing with the secret faction in Tokyo known as the Anbu Assassin Corporation than this whole fucking mess. I’m not going to elaborate how fucking miserable I was during that time but I will say heartache is real. I can hide the expressions and emotions by burying them in a deep box inside myself but the physical twinges of pain against the faceted organ was to say the least inconvenient. 

By the time the sun rose it seemed things subsided. To add insult to injury, just when I finally calmed the ebb and flow of emotions as well as thought ratios by breaking in the broncho, here came little miss thing in her short shorts gawking at me. I willed her to turn around and go back inside. Hell I even tried to ignore her but the longer she lingered the more frustrating I became.

Kill it. Stuff it down. Don’t let her see me in this state.

Being stoic is as natural as breathing to me.

Acting unbothered I asked her if she needed something, but as the silk of her words bound the knots of anger jabbing against my insides. Fucking idiot. Just send her away. Nope, just as easily as my irritation did, so too did she get under my skin. It was very annoying to say the least.

On the ride I could only think about how vexing it was that I wasn’t able to escape my dejection and yet with her hands around my waist, cheek pressed to my back, and thighs dug into my outer ones, it all seemed to dissolve. God forbid if I will it away it should remain stuck to me like the strongest adhesive, yet the one that is the cause of this self pity touches me, everything melts away with the miles we put behind us. 

The symptoms seemed to worsen through a portion of dinner, bleeding through when watching television, until finally it came to a head at three in the morning. The witching hour. Only now it wasn’t my turn to lie awake worried about the balance of the household. I dress to make sure I can easily move. My draft pick is my signature breathable cotton that clings to me and moves when I move embodied in my under armor gray tee. The added bonus is the wick protection. Accompanying my taste is low waist fitted men’s jeans that are boot cut so that the length touches just under the tongue of my Nikes. 

Believe me, when I dressed I knew what I was preparing for. A warrior is only as good as the armor he chooses to fight in. I remember him chastising me in a similar fashion the night he found out Sakura and I had sex. What a hypocrite. 

His sweeping movement stills the motion of the porch swing and I have his undivided attention when I come into the ring of light before his feet. 

I fold my arms firmly across my chest digging the tips of my fingers into my skin. This isn’t meant as an intimidation tactic, its just comfortable. My stamina and balance allow me to easily lean against the wooden beam across from him while keeping one foot crossed over the other. A sign to him that there’s no aggression coming his way...yet. 

“Clearly there’s something on your mind. Little brother.”

“Don’t play that card with me. Not about this.” Itachi braces his long toes against the grain of the wood. My eyes snap back to his and they’ve transitioned to narrow and slightly hostile. His shoulders haven’t tensed so I see no need to change my stance.

I take the opportunity to glance through the screen upon the door making sure there aren’t green eyes burning behind the darkness. This altercation I prefer to keep private. Just between us brothers. 

“Why her? Honestly Itachi you always-“ His voice overlaps mine and I lose my train of thought in order to listen to his excuse.

“Don’t start with that. We both know what this is.” I click my tongue to my teeth, flexing my fingertips digging deeper upon my skin.

“Do we?” I quip back dripping with sarcasm.

“Using a condescending tone now?” He relaxes back against the backboard of the swing. An arrogant sign that he’s not threatened by me in any way and therefore regards me as nothing more than a fly buzzing around his head. Easily swatted away. This prompts a more physical change in my appearance. I don’t realize I’m creasing my brow until Itachi’s own furrows in response and the dark depths of his cold stare is hidden beneath the hood of his lids.

“ Itachi .” I urge in a warned frustrating tone.

“What Sasuke? Are we going to fight about this like boys? As if I took one of your toys?”

“You’ve never done that. You’ve always looked out for me because mother and father instructed you to do so and I’d like to think because you actually wanted to. Because there was some small semblance of affection the day you saved me from retaining the same fate as both our parents with a clean smile under my throat.”

“Touching my sympathies is yet another low blow.”

“ My point is , we’ve  never fought. Not about anything like this. And were you not the one that accosted me for screwing a target? So what’s changed between then and now? Now its fine for you to do the same thing?”

“Is that what this will be about Sasuke? Punishment?”

“Well, I’m not saying I don’t want to bash your face in at the present moment no, but I wont let this continue either.”

“Now we’re calling dibs is it?”

“ For fucks sakes ! You’re a logical man . So tell me, what is one brother plus the other brother equal to sharing the same feelings for the same woman? I’ll tell you. Its going to end in misery or one of us disowning the other.” 

He ruminates on this. A long stretch of a minute plays out before he glances back up at me. 

“And if I said I didn’t want to give her up?” I can feel a chill ripple through my spine and its not from the sense of fear, but adrenaline. I can feel the rage course through my blood like gasoline sending sparks through every fiber of my being. My body hums alive. I can taste copper on my tongue and before I see nothing but red and black out I need to rein myself in. 

This isn’t a hit, a target, or a job. This is  my brother. Pain in the ass he may be, he’s the only thing left in this world that can attach me to it. In reality if I killed him, there would be nothing but a hollow feeling replaced inside thecurrent spot of anger welling inside me. I would become a ghost floating through my years left on the earth. However limited they may be. 

I need to keep that in mind while the aching in my stiff nerves are ready to pounce and bash away at him slowly begins tounwind. He sees my change but remains impassive and undisturbed. 

“Come.” He utters. “If beating me will make you feel better, do so.” I would love to. I can feel the trembling in my fists still present. I could connect bone to bone and crash down on him with all the fury of a tornado until all the shapes in his face distort. Until he becomes unrecognizable. Until all his bones splinter and he becomes a faceless monster no longer my brother. 

I’m on the verge of it. I can feel the buzzing in my toes to charge from my spot and pound away until my limbs become sore and my knuckles bloody from his tissue as well as the raw scrapes over my own flesh and bone.

I restrain myself again. For the second time. I fear by the third my head will cloud over and I wont remember what happened until the morning. I cant hide the grit from my words as I ground them between my teeth, but I keep my tone polite. I’m wavering. There’s an underlying tremble to my voice.

“I am asking you. As your brother. To yield here and now. Even if that means us leaving for a time. Until you can accept that this is the only woman I have ever been fond of. The only one I believe will be able to accept what and who I am despite the shitty occupation. Otherwise I will accept no other. None at all.”

He draws in breath expanding his chest and holds it for a few beats. I myself can hear my pulse drumming in my ear, feel it ticking against my jaw. I expect this to end with fisticuffs otherwise I would have worn my comfortable boots. The area under my fingers is numb, the skin stretched over my knuckles is white as I await his reply. He draws this out and whatever he says will either remedy the situation or further spiral it into a life altering experience. 

If he says no to my face I will beat him to the best of my ability to a bloody pulp. I expect him to get more licks in than myself given his natural skill as a fighter, however I will not come away without my own reward in his pound of flesh. I aim to claim one of his teeth as well even if it should embed into my hand. Once I recover I will carry my wounded self up to her room where I will say a swift farewell and walk away for good. 

I hate dating. I hate engaging in the complicated courtship of the female prowess. I hate the dance of revealing ones self painstakingly slowly one page at a time over a hearty meal that I will be expected to pay (and gladly). I hate that eventually the quirks I find about her will turn into habits that are annoying and irritating. I hate that I will have to hide my true job and come up with a back story which I will remember, but eventually be confronted with having told the truth to which will only further the damaged relationship into an unhealthy altercation. 

With Sakura its laid out. My past, my present, and there’s been no pretenses. Just my natural state and the easy presence of being able to talk to her. She dances around my frustration with lithe ease and almost mocks my fits or anger equivalent to a relative pinching ones cheek. But in her annoying way I commend her for putting up with my stoic self. 

Its easier to confess this all in my head and harder to get the words past the gate of my lips but there it is. To show my vulnerable underbelly to my older brother is humiliating and degrading to my pride. If nothing I hope he can appreciate the guts its taken just to show the soft portion of myself. But in doing so as I said before, could lead to him heartlessly spearing me through the gut and watching me bleed out against my demise he constructed. 

He stands. I tense. I have been trained for this. To move in unison should my opponent strike. To mirror blow by blow but be better, faster, and let them tire before finishing them off. He strides over. His tactic is always being calm and quiet. His flat feet fan across the porch with silent grace easily eating the space between us. I lower my arms ready to pivot on my heel and give a good uppercut Southpaw style. That will grant me the reward of his lower tooth. 

His hand eclipses my peripheral vision and I know I will allow him to land the first blow. That will be enough incentive for me to hear the ring of a fighters bell and begin my assault. He brings himself close, I can feel the heat of his breath despite the chill from the crisp night. His fingers weave around to the back of my head and our foreheads bump against one another. He smiles. I’m taken aback as we still. 

Its almost disturbing how close he is like this but it reminds me of when we were boys pitched in a tent in the backyard and we misjudged the temperature overnight. It was colder than anticipated and by the time I awoke my small arms were looped around his and I was snuggled up close. Only then he smelt like Mac and cheese. A dinner mom hastily made for us because we were too excited to actually stay and eat inside because we needed to prepare for the overnight outside. But here he smells like I do. The anticipation of sweat and nervousness.

He speaks calmly. And as Itachi often does, just once, so one better listen and listen closely. 

“I only want your happiness. I’ve never heard you speak so passionately from the heart before. Not like that. I leave the matter to you then,  Sasuke .” He retreats back inside leaving me in a stupor. My eyes train on where his figure was seconds ago. I’m flabbergasted. I was not expecting that reaction in the slightest. I was poised for a fight. I prepped for the occasion and knew the night just had to end in that way. Yet here I was standing by myself in the dark as the sound of his bedroom door echoes down the spanse of the stairs. Now I was unsure of what to do with the rest of this pent up aggression.

It couldn’t be that easy. I made a mistake. He made one. He would turn round and come back down laying a low blown sucker punch to my gut. I take his seat on the bench letting it rock me until I slide into the seat fully allowing my once erect body slacken from the sway. 

What the hell just happened? There had to be a further discussion in the morning. He would corner me this time and tell me he was going to vie for her affections. Yet he basically just gave me his blessing. What the fuck? 

It was as if our target laid down his guns and just opened his arms welcoming the barrage of bullets put into him. Could it be that easy? Leave what to me? Then it hit me. Fuck. This was going to be one of the worst conversations of my life and it just had to involve Sakura and I alone together. 

Fuck.


End file.
